Central Texas woman calls for more resources after husband dies while waiting for ICU bed

JONESBORO, Texas (KWTX) -A Central Texas woman is pleading for people to take COVID-19 seriously after losing her husband to the virus.

Elisha Squyres is now using her voice to try and help others avoid having to face the same devastation.

Josh Squyres, 38, leaves behind a wife and two kids after only a short battle with COVID-19.

Elisha says it only took a matter of days for the virus to progress and take Josh’s life.

“Josh’s oxygen was below 70 so we got him to our local ER and they kept him, told his that yep this is COVID,” Elisha said.

Elisha says Hamilton’s hospital did all they could but they have limited resources.

The family was trying to have him transferred to raise his chances of surviving, but she says ICU beds and larger hospitals were full.

“I was calling hospitals, I know my mother personally called Baylor Scott & White,” Elisha said.

“People were calling everywhere they could to see if they could pull any strings,” said Brent Wolff, Elisha’s brother and long-time friend of Josh.

Josh sat on waitlists for the opportunity to be transferred until the day he died.

“I’m not saying there was anything else we could have done for Josh, but we didn’t have the opportunity,” Elisha said.

“Our medical staff is completely worn out, there’s not enough nurses to go around, there’s not enough beds to go around.”

She is asking for more resources and calling on lawmakers, representatives and state leaders to take action.

“He needed more help, and we are spending money fighting mask mandates and we are spending money in places that I think would be better served to give these hospitals better resources, more ventilators,” Elisha said.

The family is also asking for people to do their part by taking precautions and considering getting the vaccine.

Elisha says Josh had planned to get vaccinated but it was too late.

A GoFundMe account was set up for the family to show support and has raised more than $7,000 in the span of four days.

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