nurse dies from covid after filming a Heartbreaking Video For His Family
Credit: GoFundMe/Arturo and Antonio Hernandez
A coronavirus vaccine may be on it’s way, but COVID-19 is still tearing apart families and devastating communities. At this point, the emotional toll the pandemic has wreaked upon people is up there with the physical toll of the virus. Recently, a particularly tragic story out of Mexico made national headlines.
28-year-old nurse Sergio Humberto Padilla Hernandez was in the hospital, placed on a ventilator because of COVID-19. According to his friends and family, he had only 90% of his lung function.
Knowing first-hand the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, Padilla Hernandez recorded a video for his friends and family and posted it to Facebook.
Padilla Hernandez’s sister, Dolores, had already died from complications due to COVID-19 in August, so the young nurse wanted to be prepared in case the worst should happen.
“The moment of truth has arrived,” Padilla Hernandez said to the camera. “I will recover, God willing. We will move forward I will see you again, friends, family. I know you will be praying for me and my health, for my well-being. Whatever happens, you will always be looking out for my best interests, always. I love you and you are in my heart.”
Hours after filming the video, Padilla Hernandez passed away. He left behind his wife, Denise, and young son, Sergio III. His family is devastated.
Padilla Hernandez was eulogized on a GoFundMe page set up by his family.
“First and foremost, Sergio was a loving father to his son, Sergio III and a loving husband,” says the GoFundMe page. “Sergio lived life to the fullest. He was a devout Catholic and had a passion for helping others. Sergio was a dedicated nurse at the Municipal Hospital in Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico.”
The post went on to describe how Padilla Hernandez “worked tirelessly” to help others during the pandemic, which had “hit his home state of Chihuahua particularly hard.”
The GoFundMe page goes on to describe the “unimaginable hardships” Padilla Hernandez’s family is facing in the wake of his death.
“Unfortunately, his family has received very little assistance financially,” wrote Padilla Hernandez’s cousins. “Having lost their second child in the past 4 months to covid -19, our aunt and uncle are currently facing unimaginable hardships….They have put the family car up for sale and have sold nearly every possession of value leading up to Sergio’s passing.”
According to the GoFundMe page, Padilla Hernandez’s family is being crippled by lingering hospital bills from two family members having been hospitalized, funeral expenses, and general living expenses.
Padilla Hernandez’s passing is especially tragic because it illustrates how random and ruthless coronavirus is.
Despite the virus primarily being deadly to people with pre-existing conditions, once in a while, stories like this one circulate that throw our knowledge about COVID-19 into question.
This story is also tragic because, like many people who are gravely ill with COVID-19, Padilla Hernandez wasn’t able to say goodbye to his family in person. Due to the contagious nature of the virus, he was forced to say his final farewell through technology.
In the end, we hope that Padilla Hernandez’s family gets the closure and support they need from both their community and generous strangers around the world. Now is the time to come together and support one another.
