Mom Begs for Help as Sick Pregnant Daughter Forced to Stay Alive by Law
A Heartbroken Family Faces a Difficult Law
A Family’s Sad Story in Georgia
Adriana Smith was a nurse and a loving mom from Atlanta. She was 30 years old and had a young son. In February, Adriana started having really bad headaches. She was already nine weeks pregnant. Adriana went to the doctor for help. The doctor gave her some medicine and sent her home.
The next morning, something terrible happened. Adriana’s boyfriend heard her making strange noises. She was gasping for air and could not breathe right. He quickly rushed her to the hospital. There, doctors did a CT scan. They found out that Adriana had many blood clots in her brain.
Doctors tried their best to help Adriana. But it was too late. The blood clots had already done too much damage. Doctors said Adriana was brain dead. Even though her body was still breathing with help from machines, Adriana was not alive the way she used to be.
The Hard Law in Georgia
Georgia has a law called the “heartbeat bill.” This law says that a pregnancy cannot be ended if there is a heartbeat. After six weeks, once a heartbeat is found, doctors cannot do an abortion unless it is a real emergency. The law only allows an abortion to save the mom’s life or if the baby will not survive.
Because of this law, Adriana’s family could not make a choice. Adriana was kept alive by machines for three months. Her mom, April Newkirk, said it felt like torture. “She’s been breathing through machines for more than 90 days. It’s torture for me. I see my daughter breathing, on a ventilator but she’s not there. And I'm touching her.”
April brought Adriana’s son to see his mom. The little boy thought his mom was just sleeping. April said, “I think every woman should have the right to make their own decision. And if not, then their partner or their parents.”
The Family’s Pain and Worries
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April did not know if they would have ended Adriana’s pregnancy. But she felt very sad that they had no choice at all. She also worried about the medical bills and about raising Adriana’s sons. She said, “She’s pregnant with my grandson. But my grandson may be blind, may not be able to walk, wheelchair bound, we don't know if he'll live once she has him. It should have been left up to the family because, I'm in my fifties, her dad is in his fifties, so we're gonna have the responsibility with her partner to raise her sons. And I'm not saying that we would have chose to terminate her pregnancy, what I'm saying is we should have had a choice.”
Doctors planned to keep Adriana alive until the baby reached 32 weeks. Then, they would help her have the baby. The family did not know what would happen next.
The Cost of Emergency Room Visits
A Mom Gets a Big Bill After a Short ER Trip
In December 2023, another mom named Maggi Wettstein had to take her three-year-old daughter, Ryan, to the emergency room. Ryan woke up crying and was very upset. Maggi worried Ryan had a yeast infection or a urinary tract infection. She took her daughter to Carle Health Methodist Hospital at night.
The emergency room was not busy. Ryan was checked in. The nurse did a nasal swab test for COVID-19. After a while, Ryan felt better and stopped crying. Since it was late and Ryan had preschool the next day, Maggi decided to take her home.
Maggi said there was no one at the desk when they left. So, they just went home. They did not see a doctor. They thought everything was fine.
A Surprising and Expensive Bill
Eight months later, Maggi got a big surprise in the mail. The hospital sent her a bill for $445. With her insurance, the bill was $298. Ryan only had a quick nasal swab test at the hospital. Maggi was shocked at how expensive it was.
Maggi said, “The amount I was billed was mind-blowing.” She called the hospital to ask about the bill. But the hospital said it was correct and she had to pay it.
Why Are ER Bills So High?
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Loren Adler, who works at the Brookings Institution Center on Health Policy, said, “The hospital will have made a pretty healthy markup.” She explained that hospitals can charge a lot because they have power in the market. Insurance companies do not always fight back on the high prices.
Carle Health said, “We follow policies that support the safety and wellbeing of our patients, which includes the initial triage of symptomatic patients to the Emergency Department.” This means they believe they followed the rules.
Maggi was still upset. She pointed out that stores like Walgreens sell COVID-19 and flu tests for $30. She did not understand why the hospital charged so much more.
A Wedding Turns Into a Tragedy
An Accident at a Joyful Event
Janet Davis was very excited to attend her son’s wedding. The ceremony was supposed to be a happy day. At a Jewish wedding, there is a special canopy called a chuppah. It goes over the bride and groom as they get married.
During the wedding, something terrible happened. The chuppah, which weighed 87 pounds, fell over. It landed on Janet’s neck and back. Janet was badly hurt. She had a concussion and her ear was injured. She also hurt her spine.
Janet was taken to the hospital. She found out she now had tinnitus, which is ringing in the ears. She would have these injuries for the rest of her life.
Who Was at Fault?
Janet’s lawyer, Marc McCallister, said someone must have knocked into the chuppah. It was not put together safely. He said, “If this case went to trial, we were prepared to present video of the collapse and unrebutted testimony that Ateres and Luxe’s failure to secure the chuppah in a structurally sound condition properly was the cause of the chuppah collapse. Had Ateres and Luxe properly secured the chuppah, it would not have collapsed, Janet Davis’ injuries would have been avoided and the family would have enjoyed a beautiful wedding celebration.”
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Janet and her husband, Edward, took the wedding venue, Ateres Ayala, Luxe Catering, and the designer, Jose Vargas Ortega, to court. They said the companies did not keep the chuppah safe.
The Court’s Decision
The court gave Janet $2.3 million for her injuries. The wedding venue paid $550,000. The designer paid $10,000. Luxe Catering, who bought and put up the chuppah, paid $1.74 million.
Janet’s medical bills were $325,000. Her injuries to her ear and spine will last forever. Ortega’s lawyer, Peter Stamatis, said, “We are glad the case was resolved. It was an unfortunate occurrence.”
The judge who helped with the case, William Gomolinski, passed away shortly after the settlement. Stamatis said, “It was a real privilege to work with him.”
Extreme Stunts for Online Fame
A Streamer’s Risky Challenge
A man who streams on Twitch, named IZIDORE, did something wild to get attention online. On April 14, he let people “torture” him with water for money. He called it “Chinese water torture.” Viewers could pay to drip water on his face while he sat on camera.
Chinese water torture is an old and cruel way to punish people. Water drips slowly on a person’s forehead for a long time. This can make a person very stressed and upset. Many people think it is very painful.
What Happened During the Stream
IZIDORE set up a special machine. If someone paid money or bought “Bits” on Twitch, the machine dropped water on his face. Sometimes it was just one drop. Sometimes it was a big splash. He did this for 16 hours straight while thousands of people watched.
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Someone asked him why he did this. IZIDORE said, “Rent is due.” After the stream was over, he said, “That was so fun, chat. The outcome was way better than expected.”
This was not the first time IZIDORE had done something risky for his viewers. He had eaten 100 chicken nuggets, locked himself in a cage for a day, and let viewers “flashbang” him with bright lights.
People React to the Stunt
Many people online did not like what they saw. They said it was sad and dangerous. One person wrote, “Chinese torture methods for fame and money is CRAZY.” Another person said it reminded them of an episode from the show Black Mirror, where a man does stunts online to help his wife.
Someone else said, “This is why ‘content creation’ feels more like self-destruction with a ring light lately.” Some people worried that other streamers might try even more dangerous things.
Izidore said he did not feel hurt by the stunt. But many people think it was not safe. Experts say it is best not to try these things at home.
A Young Boy Left Without Parents
A Vacation Turns Tragic in Hawaii
Ilya and Sophia Tsaruk were a young couple from Washington. They had an 18-month-old son named Logan. In September, Ilya and Sophia went on vacation to Maui, Hawaii. Logan stayed home with his aunt and uncle.
One day, the fire department got a call. Someone said a couple was in trouble in the water near a nature reserve. When rescue workers got there, they found Sophia first. She was unresponsive. Soon after, they found Ilya.
The rescue workers tried to save them, but it was too late. Both Ilya and Sophia died at the scene. The fire department said, “Resuscitation efforts proved to be unsuccessful, and both parties were pronounced deceased at the scene by EMS.”
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More Sad News for the Family
Sophia was pregnant with a baby girl when she died. Now, baby Logan was left without both his parents.
A family member, Andrey Tupikov, started a GoFundMe page to help pay for the funeral and Logan’s future. He wrote, “Yesterday, we lost a dear sister and brother, daughter and son, and beautiful niece, but we know that heaven received and gained the three of them with open arms. On September 14th, 2024, Ilya and Sophia Tsaruk tragically passed away together while on vacation in Maui. They were retrieved from the ocean by lifeguards who were unable to revive them after much effort. Sophia was pregnant with a baby girl, and they leave behind their 18-month-old baby, Logan, who was staying with his aunt and uncle at the time.”
He said that Ilya and Sophia loved helping people at church. Sophia had a beautiful singing voice, and together they sang in the church group.
Helping Logan’s Future
Over $118,000 was raised to help Logan. The family planned a service for Ilya and Sophia. The fire department thinks the couple died because of a snorkeling accident, but this has not been confirmed.
If someone has lost a loved one and needs to talk, they can call The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.
What These Stories Mean for Families
These stories show that bad things can happen to anyone. Sometimes, laws make things even harder for families. Medical bills can be very high, even for small visits. Accidents can happen when no one expects them. Sometimes, people do dangerous things online for attention.
It is important to care for your family and stay safe. Talk to someone if you feel sad or scared. Helping each other can make hard times a little easier. If you are worried about money or medical care, try to find someone you trust to talk to.
Remember, you are not alone. Many people have gone through tough times. Together, families and friends can find hope and help each other heal.
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