Tattnall Co. high school student dies due to COVID-19

TATTNALL COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - The Tattnall County coroner confirmed to WTOC that a high school student died because of COVID-19.

Tattnall County High School senior Brandon Marsh, 18, died on Aug. 7 due to COVID-19, according to his obituary. The obituary was posted on the Bradley B. Anderson Funeral Home website.

According to family, Marsh became sick with COVID-19 before the start of the school year. He would have been starting his senior year at Tattnall County High School.

His mother is also grieving the loss of her fiancé to COVID-19. She also says she now has COVID-19. She says the past couple of weeks has been a nightmare but she’s trying to hold on to the memories.

“He didn’t even get to wear his class ring,” said Sherry Marsh. “Didn’t matter who you were. He’d put a smile on your face.”

Brandon Marsh lost his fight to COVID on August 7. His mother rushed to the hospital after his lung collapsed and he went into surgery.

“They had me suit back up. I was gonna step back in to tell him I love him just whatever else and soon as I stepped back in he went into cardiac arrest. I had asked them to do everything they can to keep him.”

Her fiancé, Jackie, got COVID-19 the same week as her son. Marsh says Jackie and Brandon weren’t vaccinated. Less than 24 hours after losing her son, Sherry lost her fiance.

“I remember him kissing me on the back of my neck and telling me don’t get this. You got to stay strong for all of us and next thing I know he’s waking me up at a quarter to 5 telling me he can’t breathe.”

She says her fiancé declined quickly after getting a blood clot. Sherry was also diagnosed with COVID on Friday.

“I tried CPR... so that’s probably where I got it from. I know. But I had to try.”

Sherry got her first vaccine dose on August 1, but regrets not getting vaccinated sooner.

“We were big hypocrites about it so it’s biting me in the butt now. It’s biting me in the butt big time.”

She wants people to take this seriously and not let it hit so close to home.

“Get the vaccine. Get it. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Stay out of public,” she said. “It’s hitting hard and it’s hitting fast and it’s different with every single person.”

Sherry says she knows her son and fiancé would want her to get the word out about the vaccine. She says this is scary and people need to get vaccinated so this doesn’t become their reality.

COVID-19 Vaccination rates remain low in Tattnall County. Just 30 percent have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 25 percent are fully-vaccinated.

Copyright 2021 WTOC. All rights reserved.