Nurse in Florida tragically dies 12 hours after testing positive for covid

Jeff Sales, a nurse working in Florida, sadly died less than 12 hours after testing positive for covid-19, multiple outlets report.

Sales, 47, initially felt unwell last week while at work in Sarasota, Florida.

Here’s everything we know about this heartbreaking story.

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Nurse dies 12 hours after testing positive for covid

During a shift at work, Florida-based nurse Jeff Sales was told he didn’t “look great” by a co-worker, prompting him to get a covid-19 test. He tested positive.

A GoFundMe page set up by Jeff’s sister-in-law, RaeAnn Christensen, reveals that decades earlier, when the nurse was just 22 years old, he had open-heart surgery that involved the insertion of a metal valve.

The fundraising page explains Jeff went into heart failure and passed away at the Florida hospital he worked at just 12 hours after his positive covid test.

Christensen confirmed Jeff was fully vaccinated.

In talks with Newsweek, Jeff’s wife Chanda said she was surprised to learn her husband had contracted covid-19 because, when he left the house, he seemed “perfectly fine”.

Jeff Sales is survived by Chanda and their four children. Money raised by the GoFundMe page will go towards the family.

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Who was Jeff Sales?

Jeff Sales was a nurse, veteran and family man. As reported by KUTV, he lived in Bountiful, Utah, until moving to Florida in 2020.

The 47-year-old worked at a Florida hospital and had been married to Chanda for 25 years. They had four children. According to Sales’ sister-in-law RaeAnn Christensen, Jeff and Chanda were “soulmates and knew that from the day they met each other”.

Jeff’s son Austin told KUTV that before the move to Florida, his father had worked at Lakeview Hospital for 16 years.

At 22 years old, Jeff served in the US Army but suffered medical conditions that led to his open-heart surgery.

How to donate to GoFundMe page

RaeAnn Christensen has set up a GoFundMe page on behalf of Chanda Sales, with a goal of $50,000. That donation goal has already been exceeded. At the time of writing, the total stood at more than $62,000.

The fundraiser reads: “I hope we can help his family in honour of Jeff, who would give everything to his country and literally gave his life trying to save others. I know it would mean the world to him to know his family is ok.”

Click here to donate on the GoFundMe page.

We send our condolences to the family and friends of Jeff Sales at this difficult time.

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