Coronavirus: Southern California father dies waiting for possible COVID-19 plasma donation
Doctors told the man's wife that plasma donated from someone who has recovered from COVID-19 may be his last chance to survive.
A Southern California man who needed a COVID-19 plasma donation has died amid his wife's desperate fight to save her husband.
Chloe Nguyen's husband, 32-year-old Ted Le, was in critical condition with COVID-19 and on a ventilator for nearly four weeks at Pomona Valley Hospital.
Le died on Friday.
RELATED: How close was California to having a New York-level coronavirus crisis?
Doctors told Nguyen that plasma donated from someone who has recovered from COVID-19 may be his last chance to survive.
Nguyen tested positive as well but has no symptoms. She's self-quarantined and is away from the young couple's son Kendrick, who is two and a half years old.
"He knows that his dad is not there," Nguyen said. "He opens his iPad and he saw my husband's picture and he said 'daddy.' He noticed that daddy is not there. But I know he misses him a lot," Nguyen told ABC7 on Thursday.
Chloe shared her story to encourage others to donate plasma through the Red Cross, even if it turns out to be too late for her husband of five years.
"If they cannot help my husband then at least they can help all the people, all the patients in the same situation as my husband, because I don't know how long we have," she said. "Everyone is trying everything. The doctors and nurses are doing their best."
On Thursday, Chloe was able to see her husband for the first time in nearly a month, but only through a glass window.
Doctors told Nguyen on Thursday that her husband's kidneys are failing and it's time to make some important decisions.
If you have fully recovered from COVID-19 and have been symptom free for at least 14 days, please contact the Red Cross to donate plasma that may save a life.
If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.
Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Coronavirus data: See how the curve of COVID-19 cases is bending in each Bay Area county
- Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic
- Stimulus calculator: How much money should you expect from coronavirus relief bill
- WATCH: ABC7's interactive town hall 'Race and Coronavirus: A Bay Area Conversation'
- What Bay Area tenants need to know about rent payments, eviction amid COVID-19 outbreak
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
- Coronavirus and the new normal of living in the San Francisco-Bay Area -- COVID-19 Diaries
- Happy hour goes virtual as people try to be sociable while social distancing during COVID-19 crisis
- Coronavirus Outbreak: Here's why you should practice 'social distancing'
- DRONEVIEW7: What the Bay Area looks like during the coronavirus shelter-in-place
- ABC7's drive around San Francisco shows empty streets, businesses shuttered
- Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
- List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
- Canceled late fees, free services available amid COVID-19 crisis
- Here's how you can help during COVID-19 pandemic
- How to maintain learning during school closures
- No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs
- Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions
- Asian community fighting racism, xenophobia, bigotry as world fights COVID-19
