'Before I Go': Son Shares Last Words Of Mom Lost To Coronavirus

RIVER FOREST, IL — A 72-year-old woman from River Forest is the latest casualty of the coronavirus. Jan Brent, a teacher at Keystone Montessori School, lost her battle to the disease just two days before Thanksgiving. For Patrick Brent, his mother's final words — a warning — are forever etched into his brain.

"I need to tell you one thing before I go, and you need to listen. You and Heather [Patrick's wife] and Finn, Joss and Ruby [the grandchildren] need to take this seriously," Patrick's mother said to her son in between gasps for breaths. "Do everything you can to protect yourselves. I don’t want anyone I love to go through this. I love you."

According to Patrick, his family isn't sure how his mom contracted the virus. She avoided crowded places. She always wore a mask and kept the hand sanitizer close by.

"My mom wasn't leaving the house. My dad was the one going out to the grocery stores and things like that. They were super, super careful," Patrick told Patch. "My mom had actually gone to a doctor's appointment and they were testing patients. When she was in her appointment, the nurses came in and said, 'Hey, you've tested positive.'"

Three days after testing positive for the virus, Patrick's mom became symptomatic. Ultimately, she would suffer for eight horrifying days with the deadly virus. With each passing day, her condition worsened as the pain became unimaginable beyond words.

"Her passing was violent and horrific, and she spent the last weeks of her life suffocating from COVID-19-induced pneumonia while in excruciating pain and terror, writhing, screaming, and sobbing whenever she wasn’t heavily sedated," Patrick painstakingly recalled in a post he shared on Facebook.

In addition to his mother's physical symptoms, as her life got closer to the end, he said the combination of heavy narcotics and COVID-19-related neurological issues resulted in constant, terrifying hallucinations whenever she was awake.

"I just can’t begin to articulate how hellish and horrifying the sum total of her experience must have been for her, and the complete and utter despair I feel at being so powerless to help or even touch her as she went through it is a crushing weight that’s impossible to bear," Patrick said.

Following his mother's death Nov. 24, her body was whisked away for cremation. According to Patrick, he and the rest of the family were never able to see or comfort his mom in person as COVID-19 stole her last breath.

"To think I’ll never see her sweet, loving face again or hear her voice and laughter twists my guts into knots, and makes me want to rage blindly at the unfairness of it all," he said.

Jan Brent's Husband Survives The Coronavirus

Although Jan lost her battle recently with the coronavirus, her story is a prime example of how the virus impacts everyone close to us so differently. Her husband of 47 years, David, also contracted COVID-19 but lived.

According to the couple's son, David survived despite being 75 years old with pre-existing conditions that put him in the same "very high" risk category alongside his wife. Not once did Jan's husband experience any symptoms —not even a sniffle.

"This virus is very real, and it’s an absolute roll of the dice on how it will affect you," Patrick warned. "As she was being tortured to death by this terrible disease, he, too, was powerless to help, and I can't begin to imagine the depths of his heartbreak and pain."

"Take Precautions And Wear A Mask"

Patrick is sharing his mom's battle with the disease in hopes of reminding people just how devastating the virus can be and why it's so important to take safety measures to prevent the spread.

For people who refuse to wear masks, Patrick considers them "selfish" — plain and simple.

"Anyone who is refusing to wear a mask or take other simple precautions to protect those around them have made it abundantly clear they couldn't care less for anyone but themselves," he said. "COVID-19 kills with cruelty and impunity regardless of political party, religion, race, creed, or personal beliefs, and until we can put these things aside and unite together as one people to fight this savage and ruthless enemy — one that has already killed hundreds of thousands of Americans — we will continue to descend into this hell of sickness, death, and unspeakable pain for both those afflicted and those left behind."

A Life Remembered

According to Jan's obituary, she worked as teacher at Keystone Montessori School in River Forest and gave her students the spirit and substance of a Montessori education with dedication and love.

She had a special place in her heart for the Martin/Martinez family and the people of the St. Giles Family Mass Community.

Due to current health restrictions, a memorial service will take place at a future date.

Donations in Jan's memory can be made to St. Giles Family Mass Community, 1025 N. Columbian Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302, or Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, 3737 W. 99th St., Chicago, IL 60655.