SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — During a KUTV investigation into COVID-19 vaccine side effects and where to report them, we found four reported deaths, filed by Utah families and their caregivers to the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Reporting System.
One case stood out, a 39-year-old single mom from Ogden who died four days after her second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Her family, who is now waiting on an autopsy, held a celebration of life for her this past weekend.
Kassidi Kurill by all accounts was healthy, happy and “had more energy” than just about anyone else around her. Her family told 2News she had no known health problems or pre-existing conditions.
Kassidi Kurill’s Story
I didn't really cry when my dad died, I cry a lot for her.
Alfred Hawley, a retired Hill Air Force Base fighter pilot, is a military man who has known risk and loss his entire life. He’s taken it all in stride, until now.
An hour before his daughter’s celebration of life this past Saturday, he sat down to talk about his baby girl, the one who always wore makeup to cover up the freckles he loved so much.
With tears in his eyes, Alfred said “I'm at a state in my life where I'm ok with that (emotion)” as he wiped a tear from his cheek; not the first and not the last.
“She was the one who promised to take care of me” he said.
The death of his youngest daughter came out of nowhere in a year where this family has already suffered unimaginable grief with three funerals before Kassidi in the past 370 days.
Four days after Kassidi's second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, she was gone. Dead before most of her family could say their goodbyes.
“She came in early and said her heart was racing and she felt like she need to get to the emergency room.” Alfred woke up that Thursday morning to his daughter asking for help.
Kassidi and her 9-year-old daughter Emilia lived with her parents. They’d been one family under the same roof since Emilia was born. Mom and Dad, grandma and grandpa always close by when they were needed.
Alfred, now retired, spent a lot of time with his girls. Kassidi, he says, “got sick right away, soreness at the shot location then started getting sick then started complaining that she was drinking lots of fluids but couldn't pee and then...