Teen dies after COVID fight. ‘Can’t believe I won’t hear his voice,’ Texas mom says
Sabrina Medina Moralez is in disbelief after her teen son died of COVID-19.
“I still can’t believe I won’t hear his voice, laugh, hug him, or see his smile,” she said on Facebook. Her son, George Moralez, died Wednesday night.
He was 16 — a sophomore at Connally High School in Waco, Texas, according to KXXV. His death came following a month-long fight with the coronavirus.
“My George fought so hard to the very end,” his mom shared early Thursday morning. “My baby, my sweet baby gained his Angel wings last night at 8:52pm.”
She says her 10th grader was surrounded by his family and close friends when he died.
Connally Independent School District shared the news of his death in a letter to parents, KWTX reported. George was not just a student, but also the son of a junior high staff member and a sibling to another student. He was involved in several activities, including serving as manager of the school’s football program and in the school’s Air Force JROTC program, according to the news station.
“Our sympathy and condolences go out to this family,” the school district said in the letter obtained by KWTX. “George will be deeply missed by everyone in Connally ISD.”
With George’s death, four people in the district have died due to complications from COVID-19, KXXV reported. His death followed the loss of two junior high teachers in August and the death of an instructional aide in September.
It is not known if George or the staff members were vaccinated against COVID-19.
As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported 140 COVID-19 deaths in children ages 16 and 17 and 937,866 cases among the same age group since Jan. 20, 2021.
“Fewer cases of COVID-19 have been reported in children (ages 0-17 years) compared with adults,” the CDC says. “While children have been less affected by COVID-19 compared with adults, children can get sick from COVID-19 and can spread COVID-19 to others. Some children may develop severe illness. Children with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness compared to children without underlying medical conditions.”
The CDC recommends children 12 and up get vaccinated against COVID-19. A coronavirus vaccine has not yet been approved for children under 12.
This story was originally published October 7, 2021 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Teen dies after COVID fight. ‘Can’t believe I won’t hear his voice,’ Texas mom says."