Guest Post by Justin Hart
The story below is very hard to get through. It was related to our colleague Megan Mansell last year by the family of Franca Panettone. I recounted this terrible incident briefly with Mike Rowe on his podcast. Frankly, I got a bit emotional.
The story below is why we still fight and why we need YOU in the fight. This is why I wrote GoneViralBook.com
Fighting for the voiceless: Franca Panettone’s family hopes her tragic COVID death will bring changes
BY MEGAN MANSELL
(originally posted here)
Franca Panettone was born on November 3, 1973, and died on April 6, 2020
For Franca Panettone, the quick path to a tragic demise began March 28, 2020, with a fever and cough. Franca was a vibrant, spirited, 46-year-old woman who had a passion for going to church and singing, was close-knit with her family, and was largely nonverbal with Down Syndrome. She also loved the color purple. Franca’s sister Maria, who served as her healthcare surrogate, was with her during the fateful emergency room visit, as Franca was unable to advocate for herself or understand medical terminology.
