Unlike many of these stories of the unvaccinated who later contracted COVID I'm inclined to feel some sympathy towards the Carpenters. Christy Carpenter had some other underlying health issues, so was vaccine-hesitant. Her son thought the whole thing was a hoax. None of them was vaccinated. Christy's son Curt died on May 2 after a 51-day ICU stay at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham. They're coming forward now with their story in hopes that others won't follow their example. That takes a lot of guts -- so props for that. They've gone through a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering and are trying to make something positive and helpful so that her son's death is not completely senseless.

Mom and daughter are scheduled to get the vaccine on July 29.

Source: WFSA

A Pell City mother said she has changed her mind about getting the COVID-19 vaccine after losing her son to the virus.

Christy Carpenter said her son Curt died from COVID complications. He was unvaccinated.

Christy said her daughter Cayla, her son Curt, and Christy were all diagnosed with COVID-19 in March 2021. Curt was hospitalized for 50 days before he passed away.

Christy was in the hospital for eight days and she is still on oxygen.

Christy said she was hesitant about the vaccine before they all got COVID. She felt like it was developed too quickly, and because she had some other health concerns, she wasn’t sure about getting it. Christy said through sharing her story she hopes more people will take the vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones.

None of them were vaccinated. Her son thought COVID was a hoax.

“Curt thought COVID was a hoax and did not take it seriously, until he could not breathe without the oxygen. The same day he was put on the ventilator, he told us, ‘This is not a hoax, this is real,’ “ Carpenter said. “I know that if Curt had survived, he would have made sure everyone knew how serious this disease is, and how important the vaccine is. My daughter and I are now carrying out that mission in his memory.”

Ironically, Dr Brytney Cobia was a member of Curt Carpenter’s treatment team. Her own plea to get more people vaccinated in Alabama also went viral last week, perhaps in part due to the Carpenters example.

28 y.o. Curt Carpenter from #Alabama died from COVID. His mom shared: "Curt thought COVID was a hoax & did not take it seriously, until he couldn't breathe w/o oxygen. The same day he was put on the ventilator, he told us, 'This is not a hoax, this is real." #SoulsLostToCovid pic.twitter.com/UjgrrvknQO

— Cleavon MD 💉 (@Cleavon_MD) July 23, 2021