High school senior, stepdad-to-be die from COVID one day apart, Georgia family says
A Georgia high school senior died earlier this month after a battle with COVID-19, multiple outlets report. The virus killed his stepfather-to-be less than 24 hours later.
Brandon Marsh, 18, was slated to start his senior year at Tattnall County High School in Reidsville but contracted COVID-19 during summer break. He never recovered and died Aug. 7 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah, according to an obituary posted online.
“He didn’t even get to wear his class ring,” the teen’s mother, Sherry Marsh, told WTOC. “Didn’t matter who you were. He’d put a smile on your face.”
Now family and friends are honoring Brandon Marsh’s “exceptional spirit,” remembering him as a “beloved” son and a “gentle soul.”
“Brandon lost his brave battle due to Covid, but not without leaving an impact on every loved one he left behind,” the obituary reads. “(He) was an avid video game player and ... left this world far too soon for our hearts to grasp.”
Gina Williams, superintendent of the Tattnall County School System, called the teen’s death “a tragic loss for our Warrior family,” noting the sadness that Brandon “was not able to begin his senior year with his classmates.”
While still mourning her son, Sherry Marsh would end up losing her fiance, Jackie Barrow, on Aug. 8.
According to an online obituary, Barrow was remembered as a “hardworking man” who loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending his time surrounded by family.
Sherry Marsh said neither son nor her fiance was vaccinated, WTOC reported. Both men were laid to rest in Glennville, a city about 65 miles west of Savannah, last week. Marsh, who’s recovering from COVID-19, is now urging everyone to get vaccinated and take the virus seriously.
“We were big hypocrites about it so it’s biting me in the butt now,” she told the news station. “It’s biting me in the butt big time.”
As of Tuesday, 42% of Georgians eligible to receive the vaccine have been fully vaccinated, and 49% have received at least one dose, according to the latest data from the state’s Department of Public Health.
In Tattnall County, 23 new coronavirus cases were reported Tuesday and vaccination rates were between 20% and 29%, data show.
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 2:39 PM with the headline "High school senior, stepdad-to-be die from COVID one day apart, Georgia family says."