Ashley Bennet, 36, gave birth to her 10th child but before she could hold her bundle of joy — the mother lost her battle to COVID-19 on January 8.
Ashley was just 34 weeks pregnant when she first tested positive for COVID-19. The virus had affected the Bennet family late last December — including Ashely’s husband, Darryl, and their nine children.
Ashley and Darryl’s health were the worst when it came to COVID-19 symptoms but while Darryl recovered, Ashley’s bronchitis quickly turned to pneumonia.
“The pneumonia hit her and it just came with a vengeance,” her sister, Courtney Bucknam, shared. “It was awful.”
After she was hospitalized, Ashely’s doctors decided to deliver her baby via emergency C-section in hopes they both could pull through.
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On January 1, Eliza Bennett was born without any health complications. And while Ashley was awake during the delivery, she was only able to touch her baby’s arm and pose for a few photos before her little one was taken away.
Ashely was eventually intubated and one week later — she died from COVID-19.
She suffered a blood clot that led to a stroke and despite undergoing emergency surgery, Ashley passed on January 8.
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On a GoFundMe page created for her family, Ashley is described as “the backbone of her family” and “a devoted wife, mother, and friend.” In addition to her husband Darryl and newborn Eliza, Ashley is also mourned by her nine other children: Julie Anne, 18; twins Tyler and Alex, 15; Bredyn, 13; Mikey, 12; Sadie Grace, 5; Macie Layne, 4; Mia Marie, 2; and Logan, 1.
“Her world circulated around her children,” Bucknam told shared. “She absolutely loved them.”
“If we can learn anything from this, it’s that COVID is so serious, and we need to truly take precautions because she was only 36,” Bucknam continued. “She had no underlying conditions, and she was gone basically within 10 days.”