Miami intensive care unit nurse Araceli Buendia Ilagan, 63, passed away to complications of the virus.
Ilagan was an integral part of the Jackson Memorial hospital who mentored and trained other nurses and worked for Miami-Dade’s public hospital system since the 1980’s.
‘Our Jackson Health System family is mourning the death of longtime Jackson nurse Araceli Buendia Ilagan, who recently died from complications of COVID-19,’ the hospital said in a statement.
‘Araceli dedicated nearly 33 years of her life treating some of our most critically ill patients.’
Ilagan worked her last shift at Jackson Memorial’s ICU.
She was also the second Jackson Health nurse to test positive for the virus in March.
“As we battle this global public health crisis, caregivers throughout the world are bravely serving on the front lines, often putting their patients’ lives before theirs. These medical professionals – people like Araceli – are the true heroes, and we salute them all,” the hospital said in the statement.
According to records, Ilagan lived in Pembroke Pines and became licenced as a registered nurse in Florida in 1982 and then an advanced practice registered nurse in 1991.
Her brother shared a post on Facebook praising her as a ‘true hero in the fight against COVID-19’.
‘My sister Araceli Buendia Ilagan, a nurse in Miami, Florida since 1981 was a victim of this Covid-19. She was nursing those patients with the said virus in their hospital and unfortunately contracted and became unwell,’ he shared Saturday.
The Daily Mail