Thousands of Hoosiers have died since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020 and we know — they're more than just numbers. If you've lost a loved one to COVID-19 and want to share their story reach out to us at FacesOfCovid@wrtv.com.
Betty Oliver was a mother and a grandmother who left quite an impact on her loved ones.
“She loved volunteering at church and helping out and spending time with family and friends. She just taught me so much about kindness and being good to people no matter what walk of life they come from,” said Tracy Dill, Oliver’s daughter.
Oliver faced her first major health challenge in 2013 when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The battle took a lot out of her. Dill says a bone marrow transplant saved her mother’s life and she was doing well.
During the pandemic, she was unable to see some of her family which was saddening, but she was doing okay with it.
At 71 years old, Dill says her mom took the pandemic seriously. She was well aware that her age and health background put her at high risk if she caught the virus so she was very cautious.
“She ended up getting COVID-19 and we found that out the day after Thanksgiving," Dill said. "We’re not sure how she got it because she was always really careful. She didn’t go out a lot unless it was to go to a medical appointment or to the store and she would always wear her mask."
Oliver was initially sent home when she first went to the doctor but returned to the hospital when it became too hard to breathe. She was admitted to Reid Hospital in Richmond where she stayed for about a week. She was then transferred to a nearby nursing home to continue with her recovery. That was December 14.
“I got a call around 6 a.m. the 15th that she had coded on them and they had worked on her for about 30 minutes and they couldn’t bring her back. It happened so quickly,” Dill said.
Oliver died just one day after she arrived at the nursing home. Dill says it's difficult to know her mother passed away without family nearby.
“The hardest part is knowing that my sister and me didn’t get to tell her goodbye. I want her to know how much I loved her and what a wonderful mother she was,” Dill said.
MORE STORIES | We're honoring the memories of these Hoosiers who died with COVID-19
