‘We need to see her’: COVID-19 restrictions kept local family from visiting dying daughter

DENVER, N.C. — The Tatums planted a cherry tree at their home near Denver for a daughter who died alone at a hospital in New York. COVID-19 restrictions have kept the family apart.

Shelly Tatum went to a hospital three weeks ago in New York just after her 37th birthday.

Doctors found she had blood clots in her brain.

Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

“We need to see her. We need to be with her,” said Janet Tatum, her mother.

The family was frantic to get to her, but no one could go to New York -- the hot zone for COVID-19.

Her parents had to make the heartbreaking decision to take her off a ventilator from hundreds of miles away. They only got to see her through FaceTime -- and played her favorite song.

"By the time the song was over, she was gone," Janet Tatum said.

[Charlotte tech firm aims new app at fight against coronavirus]

Shelly Tatum was an organ donor who relished the chance to help others. Doctors harvested her kidneys.

“We were excited about the fact that a part of her may be helping somebody live on,” said her father, Leigh Tatum.

But COVID-19 got in the way of that hope.

Shelly’s parents said even though she tested negative for the virus three times in the hospital, no one trusted organs from a person who recently visited China and died in New York.

>> We’ll bring you LIVE updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. Get extended coverage on the free WSOC Now app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

They also couldn’t get their daughter cremated shortly after her death because of the hundreds of COVID-19 positive patients dying around her every day.

"They had 97 bodies waiting," Janet Tatum said.

Shelly Tatum was eventually cremated, but her ashes may not come home for another two to three weeks as her parents continue waiting.

"A hole that’s there and right now, there is nothing that’s going to fill that hole,” Leigh Tatum said.

First responders to get pay increase during stay at home order due to COVID-19, officials say First responders to get pay increase during stay at home order due to COVID-19, officials say

© 2020 Cox Media Group