A Queensland girl who was 23 months old at the time of her death from COVID-19 passed away just two weeks before her second birthday and just days before the arrival of a baby brother.
Ruby Grace Edwards passed away on Sunday at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane as a result of a rare autoimmune illness that was induced by the COVID-19 virus.
This condition caused her immune system to attack her brain, which ultimately led to her death.
Ruby’s father, Steven Edwards, who himself ill with COVID-19, has shared the family’s sorrow with everyone and encouraged all parents to “hug their children a bit closer tonight.”
Edwards has acknowledged that he is struggling to cope with a wide range of feelings, including “deep sadness, anger, disbelief, denial, shame, embarrassment, and regret.”
“We, all of us, need to love and support each other through this unimaginably tough time,” he said.
“If you have children of your own, please hug them a little bit tighter tonight.”
An internet campaign to gather money for the family’s medical expenses has already brought in more than $17,500.
Yesterday evening, Queensland Health provided official confirmation of the child’s death.
Ruby is the youngest person to have died from COVID-19 in the state of Queensland.