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Woman who warned of outbreak at Life Care Center dies of COVID-19 complications

Woman who warned of outbreak at Life Care Center dies of COVID-19 complications
HAVE TO SHOW SYMPTOMS OR BE AN ESSENTIAL WORKER. ROB: SHE’S THE WOMAN WHO FIRST ALERTED US TO THE OUTBREAK, AT LIFE CARE CENTER IN ELKHORN. BUT SADLY, SANDRA DOOLEY IS NOW THE SIXTH RESIDENT THERE TO DIE OF COVID-19. 61 RESIDENTS HAVE THE VIRUS, ALONG WITH 27 EMPLOYEES. THE STATE IS INVESTIGATING THE FACILITY, BUT SAYS THERE ARE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES TO CARE FOR RESIDENTS. SANDRA STILL CALLED US FOR HELP, HOPING TO SAVE THE PEOPLE AROUND HER. KETV NEWSWATCH 7 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, MICHELLE BANDUR, HAS HER FINAL MESSAGE. MICHELLE: WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK ABOUT SANDRA DOOLEY AND HER PLEA FOR HELP FROM INSIDE THE LIFE CARE CENTER OF ELKHORN. SANDRA ENDED UP TESTING POSITIVE AND ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER A FALL. SHE DIED YESTERDAY. NOW HER FAMILY WANTS TO MAKE SURE SANDRA’S MESSAGE IS HEARD. >> I’M CALLING ABOUT ELKHORN LIFE CENTER. WE’RE FILLING UP WITH CORONA. MICHELLE: SANDRA DOOLEY CALLED KETV NEWSWATCH 7 MONDAY, MAY 11, THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE OUTBREAK AT THE LIFE CARE CENTER OF ELKHORN. >> I JUST THINK I SHOULD LET YOU GUYS KNOW BECAUSE IT’S SPREADING -- LET YOU GUYS KNOW, BECAUSE IT’S SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BUILDING. >> SHE KEPT TELLING ME, "YOU GOTTA GET ME OUT OF HERE. IF YOU DON’T GET ME OUT OF HERE, I’M GOING TO GET IT AND I’LL DIE." MICHELLE: THE DAY AFTER HER CALL, THE 79-YEAR-OLD FREMONT WOMAN TESTED POSITIVE. SANDRA’S FAMILY SAYS BECAUSE HER MOTHER HAD TO LEAVE THE BUILDING FOR DIALYSIS TREATMENTS, THE FACILITY MOVED HER TO THE RED ZONE WITH THE POSITIVE RESIDENTS. >> THEY DIDN’T WANT TO PUT OTHERS AT RISK BECAUSE OF HER, YET SHE WAS STILL NEGATIVE. MICHELLE: THURSDAY MORNING, MEDICS RUSHED SANDRA TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER A FALL. HER FAMILY SAYS SHE DEVELOPED PNEUMONIA FROM COVID-19, AND SIX DAYS LATER, THE GREAT GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY. >> IT JUST KIND OF CAUSED EVERYTHING TO SHUT DOWN. MICHELLE: THE WOMEN HEARD THE CRY FOR HELP FOR THE FIRST TIME. >> UGH. THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH HELP. >> SHE WAS SCARED. >> YOU CAN HEAR IT IN HER VOICE IN THAT VOICEMAIL RIGHT THERE. MICHELLE: THEY TAKE COMFORT KNOWING SANDRA TRIED TO GET HELP FOR HER AND THE OTHER RESIDENTS. THEY SAY SHE DIED A HERO. >> SHE’S FEISTY, AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN. IF SHE’S GOING TO SPEAK UP FOR HERSELF, SHE’S GOING TO SPEAK UP FOR EVERYONE ELSE. MICHELLE: THEY WANT THE FACILITY TO LISTEN TO SANDRA’S PLEA AND MOVE THE RESIDENTS TO A SAFE PLACE. >> WHY ARE YOU LETTING THE REST OF THEM GET IT? THE FEW PEOPLE THAT DONT HAVE -- THAT DON’T HAVE IT, GET THEM OUT THERE. MICHELLE: NOW THEY’LL CONTINUE THE FIGHT SANDRA STARTED WITH A PHONE CALL. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BYE. MICHELLE: SANDRA’S FAMILY PLANS TO HOLD A FUNERAL FOR HER SOON. AS FOR DHHS’ INVESTIGATION INTO LIFE CARE, IT COULD TAKE WEEKS OR MONTHS BEFORE IT DECIDES IF THERE WILL BE DISCUPLANARY -- THERE WILL BE DISCIPLINARY ACTION. SANDRA’S FAMILY SAYS THAT’S ALREADY TOO LATE.
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Woman who warned of outbreak at Life Care Center dies of COVID-19 complications
In the video above: Dooley's final plea for helpOn a driveway in Fremont, Nebraska, a daughter and granddaughter listen to the phone call their loved one made from inside the Life Care Center of Elkhorn."She was scared," said Tammy Nolan, Sandra Dooley's daughter. "She kept telling me, 'You gotta get me out of here. If you don't get me out of here, I'm going to get it and I'll die.'"Dooley, 79, called KETV Newswatch 7 May 11 for help and left a message."I'm calling about Elkhorn Life Center. We're filling up with corona," she said. "I just think I should let you guys know because it's spreading throughout the whole building.""You can hear it in her voice in that voicemail right there," said granddaughter, Kasey Nolan.The day after the phone call, Dooley tested positive for COVID-19. Her family said she had to leave the building for dialysis treatments. They said the facility moved her to the "red zone" where positive residents were isolated."They didn't want to put others at risk because of her, yet she was still negative," said Kasey Nolan.The morning of May 14, medics rushed Dooley to the hospital after a fall. She hit her head. The family said she developed pneumonia due to COVID-19 complications and six days later, the great grandmother of three passed away."It caused everything to shut down," said Kasey Nolan."I did ask the doctor, 'Do you believe this is a combination of COVID and the fall?' and they said, 'Yes,' Tammy Nolan said.They take comfort knowing Dooley tried to get help for herself and the other residents."She's feisty and always has been. If she's going to speak up for herself, she's going to speak up for everyone else," Kasey Nolan said.They want the facility to listen to their mother's plea for help and move the residents to a safe place. "Why are you letting the rest of them get it? The few people that don't have it, get them out of there," Tammy Nolan said.The women said they will continue the fight Dooley started with a phone call."She cared for everyone," Tammy Nolan said.They're planning a funeral in Fremont.

In the video above: Dooley's final plea for help

On a driveway in Fremont, Nebraska, a daughter and granddaughter listen to the phone call their loved one made from inside the Life Care Center of Elkhorn.

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"She was scared," said Tammy Nolan, Sandra Dooley's daughter. "She kept telling me, 'You gotta get me out of here. If you don't get me out of here, I'm going to get it and I'll die.'"

Dooley, 79, called KETV Newswatch 7 May 11 for help and left a message.

"I'm calling about Elkhorn Life Center. We're filling up with corona," she said. "I just think I should let you guys know because it's spreading throughout the whole building."

"You can hear it in her voice in that voicemail right there," said granddaughter, Kasey Nolan.

The day after the phone call, Dooley tested positive for COVID-19. Her family said she had to leave the building for dialysis treatments. They said the facility moved her to the "red zone" where positive residents were isolated.

"They didn't want to put others at risk because of her, yet she was still negative," said Kasey Nolan.

The morning of May 14, medics rushed Dooley to the hospital after a fall. She hit her head. The family said she developed pneumonia due to COVID-19 complications and six days later, the great grandmother of three passed away.

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"It caused everything to shut down," said Kasey Nolan.

"I did ask the doctor, 'Do you believe this is a combination of COVID and the fall?' and they said, 'Yes,' Tammy Nolan said.

They take comfort knowing Dooley tried to get help for herself and the other residents.

"She's feisty and always has been. If she's going to speak up for herself, she's going to speak up for everyone else," Kasey Nolan said.

They want the facility to listen to their mother's plea for help and move the residents to a safe place.

"Why are you letting the rest of them get it? The few people that don't have it, get them out of there," Tammy Nolan said.

The women said they will continue the fight Dooley started with a phone call.

"She cared for everyone," Tammy Nolan said.

They're planning a funeral in Fremont.