Alabama man dies of heart complications after being turned away from 43 hospitals due to inundated ICUs

Alabama man dies of heart complications after being turned away from 43 hospitals due to inundated ICUs
U.S. Air Force Capt. Kimberly Warstler, R.N., stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., dons proper personal protective equipment to enter a room with a COVID-19 positive patient at the Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, Nov. 13, 2020. Warstler is a Lone Star State native, having received her nursing degree from Texas Tech University, and says she's proud to return to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. She, along with approximately 60 service members, are working jointly with the civilian hospitals to assist in the mitigation of the virus and help citizens in need. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in support of the whole-of-America COVID-19 response. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samantha Hall)
Meaghan Ellis
September 12, 2021 | 06:51AM ETBank

The grieving family of a deceased man has a warning for Americans as the pandemic rages on: get vaccinated. According to The Cullman Times, Ray Martin DeMonia was just three days away from celebrating his 74th birthday when he died of heart complications on September 1.

His family is warning Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as hospitals in multiple states reach capacity due to increased hospitalizations from the pandemic, reports USA Today.

"In honor of Ray, please get vaccinated if you have not, in an effort to free up resources for non-COVID-related emergencies," the obituary read. "He would not want any other family to go through what his did."

Prior to his death he suffered from what has been reported as a cardiac event and was taken to the Cullman Regional Medical Center. That hospital ultimately ended up transporting him to another hospital in Meridian, Miss., approximately 200 miles away from his home.

In his obituary, his family revealed the hospital staff attempted to have him transferred to intensive care units (ICUs) at more than 40 hospitals across three states but to no avail. It took days before they were able to find an available bed in Meridian, Miss.

"Due to COVID 19, CRMC emergency staff contacted 43 hospitals in 3 states in search of a Cardiac ICU bed and finally located one in Meridian, Miss.," the family revealed. "He would not want any other family to go through what his did."

"Ray DeMonia was like no other," his obituary read.

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