Care worker mum and daughter die within days of each other after getting Covid

The pair, who both worked as care workers, were not vaccinated against the virus and died just two hospital beds away
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An unvaccinated mum and daughter have both died on the same hospital ward after contracting Covid.

Heather Maddern and her 32-year-old daughter Sammie-Jo Forde passed away just days after one another.

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Sammie-Jo died on 11 September while her mum died days earlier just two beds away at Ulster Hospital, in Northern Ireland.

Think of those left behind

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Kevin McAllister, Heather’s ex-partner, said he has lost a best friend in his daughter.

Heather Maddern (left) and her daughter Sammie-Jo Forde (right) have both died after testing positive for Covid (image: Facebook) Heather Maddern (left) and her daughter Sammie-Jo Forde (right) have both died after testing positive for Covid (image: Facebook)
Heather Maddern (left) and her daughter Sammie-Jo Forde (right) have both died after testing positive for Covid (image: Facebook)

He said: “I’ve had the worst weekend of my life last weekend there.

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“My daughter passed away on Saturday from Covid. Her mummy got buried yesterday. She had Covid.

“Both of them never took the Covid injections. These people who are not taking the Covid injection. They’re not thinking of the other people they’re leaving behind.”

Sammie-Jo, who had no underlying health conditions, has left behind four children and will be buried on September 20.

Kevin said he received a text message from Sammie-Jo last week to tell him his ex-partner had become unwell and died.

No kiss goodbye

He said said Sammie-Jo’s death will “haunt” him forever.

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He added: “I’ve lost my daughter, my best friend. All I have are memories of her, motorbike racing, fishing, driving diggers. That’s all the memories I have.”

“She’s getting buried next Monday and I can’t even give her a kiss cheerio. I’ve heard people come on who have lost parents but I wouldn’t wish what I am going through on anyone.

“I can’t get it out of my mind why she didn’t take it. It will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

‘Listen to the experts’

Kevin went on to criticise misinformation surrounding Covid vaccines.

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He said: “I just wish these people out there who make out this injection to be about corruption and all this rubbish on Facebook - if she had have taken it she would be alive today.

“I wish some people out there would just listen to the experts. I’m devastated.”

‘Amazing mother’

Sammie-Jo’s friend Debbie Strain has now set up a GoFundMe page to support her family financially.

She said: “She was an amazing mother, a loving wife and she will never be forgotten.

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“I can’t even imagine what he or the kids are feeling at this time, to not only lose their granny and mother-in-law but to lose their mother and wife is just unimaginable.

“If we could pull together and raise as much as we can to help John and the kids through this financially that will be one worry from their heads so they can focus on themselves and try to get through this.”

At the time of writing (September 16), 385 people have chipped in to raise £11,075.

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