Married couple dies days apart after battle with COVID-19

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - A woman who is recovering from the coronavirus has a warning for people. Not only did she contract the virus, but her parents died within days of each other.

Yunona Monroe told us it's hard to believe that her parents didn’t come back home after being admitted to Wellstar Douglas Hospital. She said she's not sure how they all caught COVID but she wanted to share this story to urge others to not let their guards down.

"I never thought I'd lose my parents this way," Monroe explained.

After battling COVID-19 for weeks, Gilbert Monroe died last Thursday. Just three days later, her mother, Janice, took her last breath.

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Monroe told us the couple had underlying health issues and were in their 70s.

"I feel like when my dad passed, he went to my mom and told her to come on and go with him. I can't be mad because I didn't want my mom to suffer like that," she explained.

Monroe went on to tell us she never spoke to her father again after he went into the ICU.

"I talked to my mom, facetime before she passed. My dad was real, real sick."

COVID-19 cases continue to spike across the state right now as health leaders urge folks to stay home this Christmas.

It's something Monroe hopes everyone takes seriously.

"I just want everybody to be safe and stop taking this as a joke. Wear your mask," she said.

Monroe said her parents were pillars in the community - deeply involved in the church and with volunteering.

She told us her family is taking things day-by-day as they cope with this sudden loss.

The family is trying to raise money to save Monroe's parent's home. If you'd like to help, click here.

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