Cancer Survivor, 82, Dies of COVID After Catching it from a Friend who Hid Infection to Attend a Card Game

Barb Bartolovich, 82, attended a card game wherein one of the attendees hid the fact that they were sick with COVID.

A Cancer survivor died of COVID-19 after getting infected by a friend, who allegedly hid their diagnosis for a family get-together. Ohio resident Barb Bartolovich, 82, was fully vaccinated and was always spot-on with safety precautions against COVID, so much so, that she socialized only with vaccinated people. According to Daily Mail, Barb's granddaughter, Lauren Nash, of Michigan claimed that her grandmother contracted COVID after attending a card game.

All the attendees of the said card game claimed to be fully vaccinated. One of them, however, allegedly hid the fact that they were sick with COVID. "The only way we found out is that the person owned up after Nana got sick," Nash told WXYZ.

After catching COVID, Barb was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator. She died on December 21 at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Health Center in Boardman, Ohio. Barb got infected with COVID despite being fully vaccinated as being a blood-cancer survivor, she had a weak immune system.

 Barb Bartolovich (R) with her granddaughter Lauren Nash
Barb Bartolovich (R) with her granddaughter Lauren Nash Screen grab - WXYZ via DailyMail

A friend hid their COVID diagnosis to attend a card game

Barb's granddaughter, Lauren Nash is upset at her grandmother's friend, who hid their COVID diagnosis to attend a card game. "I am just horrified at where we are and what is going on, that we are not taking into account people's live," she said. Nash didn't reveal the identity of the friend out of respect for privacy.

'It is not worth it'

After her grandmother's death, Nash is urging people to be safe and be more aware of their role in stopping the spread of COVID. She asked people who have tested for positive for COVID to 'avoid others out of love.' "It is not worth knowing you hurt someone, potentially hurt someone, or killed someone because you want to go out and have fun," she said.

According to her obituary, Barb Bartolovich is survived by four children, ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. She was described as a 'little firecracker,' who loved her family and was an active member of her church. Her family noted that she was a support system, who always instilled good lessons and values in her grandchildren. "She was just everything to everyone. As everyone says, if you knew Barb, you were loved," Nash said.

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