NAMPA, Idaho — A 58-year-old mother and Nampa School District employee lost her battle with COVID-19 on Thursday after 25 days of fighting the virus. However, she was fully vaccinated.
Susan Ward leaves behind a family and a lasting legacy, according to her loved ones. She worked at the Family and Community Resource Center for the Nampa School District and dedicated her life to helping others.
At the resource center, Ward helped families find food, proper clothing and a place to live. She was so dedicated to her career that she spent her own money and time to help those in need.
Ward received the COVID-19 vaccine in April but began feeling sick about one month ago.
"She started getting sick at home and just like cold symptoms, and because she worked at a school we were suspicious if she had gotten COVID," said Courtney Craner, Ward's daughter.
Ward took a COVID-19 test several days after the onset of her symptoms, but it initially came back negative. About a week later, her symptoms worsened. It was at that time that a second COVID-19 test came back positive.
Ward's symptoms became so severe that she was eventually admitted to the hospital. After nearly a month in the hospital battling COVID-19, the virus took over.
Craner said her mother had asthma, but the doctors said it was COVID-19 that ultimately took her life.
"The last little bit that she was coherent, it was great. She just looked at me and held my hand and said she loved me, exactly what you would want to hear from your mom before she passes away," she said. "The last little bit I just got to comfort her and when she was confused, tell her to take a nap and that she was at the hospital. She just went to sleep."
Craner said her mother was selfless, didn't like taking credit for anything and didn't like to be the center of attention.
"My mom was the person who washed their hands and did everything. There's no logic as to why she should be the one who had COVID, let alone died from it, like, there's no reason," Craner said. "But it doesn't have a pattern. Nobody knows a lot about it yet. Doctors were so amazing in the hospital with her but you can only do so much about something you don't understand that is so new."
Mari Ramos, the coordinator at the Family and Community Resource Center in Nampa, worked with Ward for more than four years. She remembers Ward as a mother to everyone and a beautiful, giving person.
"She didn't want to be in the pictures, she didn't want the credit. She really showed what it was like to be a servant and just do it for being good," Ramos said. "It's difficult to think about going back into that center, back into that room and not having her there with me."
Ward's family does not know how much her battle with COVID-19 will cost but a GoFund Me has been created in order to assist with the medical costs. Anything not used for medical expenses will be given to the Family and Community Resource Center. Donate here.
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