Mom Proud To Be ‘Unmasked’ And ‘Unvaccinated’ Dies Of COVID-19

A mother in San Joaquin County, California, who opposed vaccination and mask-wearing has died of COVID-19, her family said.

Kristen Lowery, of Escalon, died at age 40 from the coronavirus and its resulting pneumonia on Sept. 15, News.com.au reported.

The mother of four had used her Facebook account, which has since been set to private, to post anti-vaccination and anti-mask messages, according to 7News.

"Unmasked, unmuzzled, unvaccinated, unafraid ... Together we win," Lowery stated on her Facebook profile picture.

In another photo, Lowery wore a T-shirt that said, "Ex Vaxxer, I trusted them, never again." She also held a sign that read, "Give a voice to the vaccine injured."

Another message on her page read, "Free thinker. Question everything. Research mandatory."

Lowery's family confirmed on social media that she had died from COVID-19 last week, according to News.com.au. Her aunt, Roxann Bittner Kalski, posted that her "beautiful niece has lost her battle against COVID-19," with other relatives also confirming the news online.

Lowery's sister, Cassie, had asked for prayers shortly before her sibling's death.

"My sister, Kristen, is in the hospital fighting for her life against COVID-19 and pneumonia. This is a request for every prayer [and] every ounce of strength you all have to help my sister pull through this," read Cassie's post from earlier this month.

"I do not care about your opinion on [getting] vaccinated," Cassie added. "This is not political."

Following her death, Lowery's Facebook account was set to private as users left comments about her rejection of vaccines, 7News noted. But screenshots taken from her Facebook page had already spread on the internet.

"Why don't people understand the importance of vaccines for everyone?" one social media user commented.

A GoFundMe page was launched following Lowery's death to help cover her funeral costs, and it has since raised more than $11,000. The description claimed Lowery died "suddenly and unexpectedly."

The fundraiser's organizer, Janet Vallotton, said Lowery was a "beautiful and amazing woman, but more than that, she was a phenomenal mother who always, ALWAYS put her children first."

"She lived for her children and loved being their mother more than anything in her life," Vallotton wrote.

Lowery is survived by her four children, Tayden, McKenna, Ella and Ryenn.

Around 71% of residents in California have received at least one vaccine dose, while 58% are fully vaccinated, The New York Times reported, citing data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state has reported 4.67 million COVID-19 cases and 68,244 deaths as of Tuesday. The nationwide total for infections is 42.4 million, while deaths are at 678,557.