A 37-year-old San Bernardino County nurse who recently gave birth to her fifth child died of COVID-19, and her husband remains hospitalized with the virus, according to family members.
Davy Macias, a labor and delivery nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, had worked throughout the pandemic until she was hospitalized with the coronavirus while 7 months pregnant, relatives said.
Macias’ husband Daniel was diagnosed soon after; both were intubated and treated in a hospital intensive care unit “due to the Delta variant,” according to a GoFundMe account started by the woman’s brother and sister.
The couple each tested positive for the virus after traveling to the beach and a water park with their children late last month, Davy Macias’ brother, Vong Serey, told KTLA in an interview Monday.
Davy Macias was 34 weeks pregnant and, around Aug. 18 — six days after she was hospitalized — the doctor decided to deliver the baby about six weeks early, according to Serey.
Macias’ condition did not improve and she died last Thursday morning. She never met her newborn daughter, according to the GoFundMe page.
Serey said that his sister was healthy, but believes she hadn’t been vaccinated against COVID because she was nervous about getting the shot while pregnant.
Before he was intubated, Daniel Macias had expressed to the family that those who haven’t been vaccinated should do it to avoid his situation, according to Serey.
“COVID doesn’t play by the rules. It doesn’t matter — you’re young, old — it can hit anybody at this point,” Serey said.
He encouraged people not to wait to take the vaccine, noting that his family’s ordeal changed his mind about getting vaccinated.
“I did change my mind. When it hits this close to home, it does, it really affects you. It opens your eyes,” Serey said.
Meanwhile, the couple’s nearly 2-week-old infant is hospitalized in the NICU but doing well, according to the family.
“We’re hoping to get the baby out in about two weeks from now,” Serey said. “But no name for the baby yet, because … Daniel was waiting for Davy to wake up to give the baby the name.”
In addition to the newborn, Macias and her husband have four other children, ages 7, 5, 3 and 2.
A family friend is currently caring for the kids while their father is in the hospital. His condition was last reported to be critical and he is still intubated.
Relatives started the GoFundMe account to help the children with food, clothing and other expenses. As of noon Monday, the page had raised more than $83,000.
In a statement, Julie Miller-Phipps, president of the Southern California region for Kaiser Permanente, expressed sympathy for the family and encouraged everyone to get the vaccine and take other COVID-19-related precautions.
“Kaiser Permanente is deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague and friend,” Miller-Phipps said. “Losing any patient is difficult, but losing one of our extended family is particularly hard. Our heart goes out to the Macias family as they are suffering this tragic loss.”
