Georgia

The face of coronavirus: Grandmother of 4 dies days after likely contracting virus at church

ROME, Ga. — For the first time, we’re hearing from the family of a coronavirus victim.

Elizabeth Wells, 65, of Rome, died on Wednesday due to complications from the virus.

Her daughter, Tracey Grui, told Channel 2’s Justin Wilfon that she’s still trying to comprehend suddenly losing her mother to this terrible virus.

[READ: Floyd County Schools employee tests positive for coronavirus, district says]

Her mother is one of several people that possibly contracted the virus at a church in Cartersville.

“I thought she could get through this,” Grui said.

In the days after singing in the church choir, Wells developed a fever and extreme fatigue.

“She didn’t have the strength to put on her own shoes, so my sister was like ‘I need to get you to the emergency room,’” Grui said.

[READ: Floyd County principal, wife hospitalized with coronavirus]

She told Wilfon that after her mother was admitted to Redmond Regional Medical Center in Floyd County, her kidneys began failing, then her liver.

A test confirmed that Wells had coronavirus.

“She couldn’t breathe on her own and she was so unstable that there really wasn’t anything they could do to help her,” Grui said.

On Wednesday, the family made the decision to remove Wells from life support. At 65, the mother of three and grandmother of four was gone.

“I was thinking she was so happy just weeks before," Grui said.

[READ: Coronavirus victim: ‘I feel like I’m in prison’ while in quarantine in Rome hospital]

Grui told Wilfon that her mother did not suffer from any severe preexisting conditions, but did have diabetes.

Wells was one of several members of the Church at Liberty Square who have been diagnosed with the virus.

“She was definitely a believer in Jesus, and we know she’s in heaven,” Grui said.

Now while her family grieves, they hope her story will serve as a lesson to take the virus seriously, as well as steps to prevent it from spreading.

“You don’t have to just look out for yourself, you have to look out for others as well,” Grui said.

For now, the church is offering online services only.

The pastor said the service this weekend will begin with prayers for the victims.