Mom of 3rd Grade Teacher Who Died of COVID-19 Also Dies from the Virus Weeks after Her Daughter

On September 27, the family of South Carolina teacher Demetria Bannister who passed away earlier this month confirmed that her mother died of the same illness.

In the era of COVID-19, it is hard enough for people to go about life at the same pace when the world is not the same as they knew it a year ago.

As if the crippling anxiety that comes with coming in terms with this new reality was not bad enough, the looming fear of losing a loved one to the disease only makes things worse.

For thousands and thousands of people, the fear has manifested into a grim reality. This invisible enemy holds no prisoners, moving from one carrier to another ever so stealthily.

AN OVERWHELMING LOSS

Such was the case with a mother and daughter from South Carolina who lost their lives in the same month due to the novel coronavirus. According to News 19, Shirley Bannister, the mother of her elementary school teacher daughter Demetria who died earlier in September, recently passed away.

Demetria taught at Windsor Elementary in Columbia. She was 28 years old when she succumbed to the illness. Just like her, her mother Shirley was an educator and worked at Midlands Technical College as a nursing instructor.

Shirley's brother, Dennis Bell, told CNN that she had gotten pretty sick days after her daughter died. She had a history of asthma and diabetes. He further revealed that she had gone to the hospital twice, but the doctors decided to keep her the second time around only.

LOVED ONES ARE HEARTBROKEN

According to Bell, his sister was overwhelmed after losing her daughter to the disease a few weeks ago. He described her death as an unexpected punch in the gut for the whole family.

Demetria tested positive for COVID-19 when she had just started her fifth year at Windsor Elementary School.

Bell said that Shirley and her daughter were the best of friends. They loved to spend time together and often go to dinner, the movies, and concerts. They were each other's ride or die.

Midlands Technical College's president Ronald Rhames said in a statement that his heart was broken after the tragedy. Calling her an angel, he went on to share that her life's mission was to care for others.

Her death is undoubtedly devastating, but Rhames said that the impact that she had was everlasting. She is survived by her husband, Dennis, who has now lost his family since Demetria was their only daughter.

ONLY IN MEMORIES NOW

Demetria tested positive for COVID-19 when she had just started her fifth year at Windsor Elementary School. On September 4, she tested positive for the virus. Reports state that she was remotely teaching from home but went out for a teacher preparation day at school on August 28.

Her coworkers at Windsor remember her as someone who brought a great deal of joy to their school. She was known as Windsor's "Songbird" because of her beautiful singing voice.