NC woman wrote her own obituary before dying from ‘long haul’ COVID
Leiah Jones spoke directly in her last words, urging others to remember “long-haul” COVID-19 sufferers who may not survive the pandemic.
Before Jones died on March 12, she had taken the unusual step to write her own obituary, where the Charlotte-area woman reiterated the severity of the disease not just for elderly people but young adults like herself, just “33-and-a-half years young.”
“Unfortunately, those like me may or may not survive the aftermath. I, hopefully, am in the minority of those numbers,” she wrote. She implored people to stay educated about the virus and to “please pray and support the ‘long haulers.’”
Her obituary was shared Wednesday on the widely-read “Faces of COVID” Twitter account, which amplifies stories of people across the country who died of the disease.
The account’s creator, Alex Goldstein, wrote in the Atlantic in December that he spends his early morning or late night hours scouring news stories, obituaries and other online remembrances. Americans, he said, have a responsibility to recognize those who died and not let individuals be lost to statistics.
“I try to bear witness to the loss of this person from the Earth,” he wrote. “I try to find something unique to lift up in each post, with the hope that people will recognize the loved one they are mourning just from reading a few words in a tweet.”
Woman wrote her own obituary
Jones’ final post departed from a typical death notice in many ways, including her conversational — and sometimes lighthearted — approach to addressing to family and friends, as well as the public.
Jones, as she described herself, loved to cook and counted baking bread among her specialties. She was an attentive caregiver to loved ones, especially her mother. She cared deeply about children and animals, and nursed kittens back to health.
Those pursuits were led by her faith and qualities she saw in herself, she said, including compassion, generosity and determination (or stubbornness, depending who was asked, she noted slyly).
“If in this life we met, I hoped our encounter left you with a lasting snapshot of a determined, sometimes complex, genuine friend. One you could talk to,” she wrote. “If, however, we did not meet, it was my loss and I am sorry. I believed that every person, experience—good or bad—added to my life a measure of maturity.”
Her message resonated with friends, as well as strangers from states as far-flung as Minnesota, Alabama and Texas who left condolences after reading her obituary online.
“I could only dream to have met you,” one wrote. “Through your obituary, I took a glimpse of your life. You had such a beautiful soul.”
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‘Long haul’ COVID-19
Scientists are learning more about patients who experience long-term symptoms after COVID-19, often called “long haulers.” Symptoms, which can last weeks or months, can include confusion or trouble concentrating, headaches, chest pain, difficulty breathing, depression and anxiety.
Experts don’t know why some people recover quickly and others have lingering, sometimes debilitating effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a briefing with Charlotte news reporters in March, Dr. Megan Donnelly of Novant Health said some early studies have shown one in 10 people diagnosed with COVID-19 may experience symptoms lasting more than a year.
“Like COVID itself, it does not discriminate,” she said. “We’re seeing young, otherwise healthy patients who are developing long COVID. Interestingly, a lot of patients who had mild-to-moderate disease, rather than moderate-to-severe disease, are experiencing the symptoms of long COVID.”
Jones’ family, in sharing her final message, implored others to take the disease seriously. When gathering to celebrate her life, they asked people to observe health precautions, including no hugs. The Observer was unable to reach Jones’ family for an interview this week.
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