'I Told Them To Go To Hospital': Cleveland Teen Loses Mom, Dad, And Aunt Within 3 Days To COVID-19

A teen from Westlake in Cleveland, who lost her mother, father, and aunt to COVID-19, all within three days, has recounted how her family would have lived if they had gotten themselves vaccinated.

Sara Golembiewski, 18, and her 15-year-old brother Ryan Golembiewski are now all alone, and Sara says the future seems intimidating to her.

"I am a little scared to face the world without the help of my parents," she told News 5 Cleveland.

Sara's father Brian Golembiewski, 46, mother Gail Golembiewski, 57, and aunt Debra Machka, 59, died after falling sick with COVID-19 shortly after Thanksgiving.

"I was the only vaccinated one in my family,” she said. "I told them to go to the hospital and they didn’t listen to me. I knew something bad was going to happen," added Sara. However, Sara says she wasn’t sure why they didn’t want to go to the hospital though she feels it could have been fear.

She said the deceased all had underlying conditions. Her mother suffered from lupus, hypothyroidism, and diabetes. Her father was obese and suffered from lupus, heart problems, and diabetes. Her aunt also had diabetes and lupus.

Sara said she went to check on her aunt on Dec. 7 after failing to hear from her. "My dad was on the floor literally bawling because he lost his sister," she said. A few hours later, her mother woke her up.

"She’s like ‘Sara come down here now,’ I’m like ‘Why?’ and she’s like ‘Your father passed away,’" the girl recalled.

Soon after, her mother's condition worsened. Three days later, on Dec. 10, her mother passed away. "My brother is screaming and freaking out he’s like ‘What are we going to do? Who are we going to go with? I’m like ‘I don’t know," Sara told the news outlet.

Sara is currently with her boyfriend's home after his mom Jennifer Bohannon took her in so she can finish her senior year at Westlake High School. "I thought it was kind of important not to be pulled away, so far away, from all of her friends and the support," Bohannon told News 5 Cleveland. "I’ve been really trying to be there for Sara and supporting her."

Bohannon has also started a GoFundMe page for Sara and her brother. She said the money will go into a trust set up by a lawyer and divided evenly between the girl and her brother.

Now reeling from trauma, Sara said her parents could have been saved had they gotten themselves vaccinated. "Get vaccinated. If my parents got it, it would’ve saved their lives. I think it would’ve," she said.