Ocala nurse who contracted COVID at work dies after lung collapse

A longtime nurse has died after contracting COVID-19 while working at a senior living facility in Marion County.

Venezia Monroe, 56, struggled to stay alive in the hospital as her daughters pleaded for help in finding a lung donor.

"If anybody out there can help my mom, I’m begging you, I’m begging you from the bottom of my heart," said Cycarria Mcfarland, "any doctor, anybody who knows somebody who has lungs, we need it."

"I’m heartbroken," said Tynezia McFarland. "I just thought it was going to be different. I thought they were going to figure it out and find a way. They didn’t. It never happened."

Monroe's fiancé, Ike Norman, said she was a nurse for more than 30 years.

"A person who dedicates her life to saving people’s lives and helped people heal wasn’t able to get what we thought she needed," he said.

Monroe’s lung collapsed during a procedure and she died days later. They wish more was done to help her, saying her needs weren’t met.

"[I] expressed my concern to the doctor and the nurse that how someone who gave so much, could receive such little," her fiancé said.

We reached out to West Marion Community Hospital for a statement.

"Due to privacy laws, we are unable to provide information regarding patient matters. Our sympathies are with the family," the hospital responded in a statement.

RELATED: Ocala nurse desperately needs lung transplant after contracting COVID-19 at work

There was something Monroe did receive. After FOX 35 News aired her story, hundreds of people took to Twitter responding with prayers and well wishes.

"I want to thank you all for your concern and for your help for what you’ve done. Reaching out to us. And I tell you, it’s people like you that make things better for the future. Thank you very much,"  Norman said.

Tynezia McFarland shared her last words to her mother, which were, "Mom, I love you, you love me. She said 'I love you.'"

The family has a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses.  You can learn more here.

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