Sarah Simental’s parents say she had no other health problems, and still the virus took her at such a young age.
“She cried for me to say, ‘You know,’ Mom, I’m going to miss Christmas. ‘And I had to reassure her that it’s just a day on the calendar and when she gets home, we do Christmas with her. And unfortunately she did not, ‘said Deborah Simental, her mother.
COVID-19 killed the senior high school within days. Her mother said Sarah’s headache turned into a sore throat and body aches on Dec. 23. That was enough to take her daughter to Silver Cross Hospital.
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Her mother said Simental had no health conditions and also did not take any medication. But when her symptoms worsened, doctors transported the sick teenager by plane to the University of Chicago Hospital.
Her family said things were getting worse quickly.
“I have no words for it. I just can not believe how fast it has progressed,” her father, Don Simental, said.
“It literally just ate her through,” her mother added. “And no parent ever has to watch their child go through that.”
Their only moment of peace – wrapped in unimaginable pain – was being at their daughter’s bedside as she passed by.
“She said, ‘I’ll be fine, Mom. “And that was the last thing,” said Deborah Simental. So I know she will eventually know that we are doing well. We’re going to miss her, but we’ll get it right. ‘
Sarah would have graduated from Lincoln Way East High School within a few months. She had dreams of caring for animals – a sign of the compassion her family members say they will miss the most.
“I think I’m going to miss some real milestones that every mother wants with her daughter,” said Deborah Simental.
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