A woman diagnosed with COVID-19 is fighting for her life as her family hopes for a Christmas miracle.
Sheryl Bacon, 50, is at UF Health Jacksonville on a ventilator. Her daughter, Adeara Booth, said it’s been a difficult year and that her father recently passed away.
She said Bacon has raised her since she was 15 years old.
“Knowing that I’m about to lose her, it breaks my heart. But I know for a fact that God has the last say,” Booth said.
“She’s not awake,” Booth explained. “Her heart stopped late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning her heart had stopped. They performed CPR, they brought her back to life.”
Bacon, Booth said, was diagnosed with the virus last week. She said Booth previously had issues with fluid around her heart and lungs.
Bacon has always been a strong female figure in Booth’s life and she said seeing her struggle is heartbreaking.
“She’s the one who took me in under her wing,” Booth said. “She’s the one who helped me through school and helped me graduate. Just basically helped me be the woman and the mother that I am today.”
Since Bacon couldn’t be home for Christmas, Booth’s family chose to help others who are facing challenging times by passing out food to the homeless.
“I didn’t want to focus on myself, I just wanted to focus on the people who actually need something,” Booth said.
Booth is praying that her mother can come home.
“I would tell everybody right now, if you have your parents, cherish them,” she said. “If you have family members, loved ones, cherish them because this was really unexpected for all of us.”
She hopes next year that fewer families will be separated from their loved ones on Christmas due to the virus.