Nationwide — Dana Johnson, a first-grade teacher at Kemp Elementary School in Cobb County, Georgia, has sadly died after weeks of being hospitalized and fighting for her life with COVID-19. She was a 49-year old wife and mother of three children.
Johnson had been admitted to WellStar Paulding Hospital’s ICU on December 6th and was placed on a ventilator. She was said to have difficulty breathing and had been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.
She sadly died on Thursday morning after more than 6 weeks in the hospital.
Her family, friends, and loved ones are mourning her death. Principal Billy Pritz said Johnson was a significant part of the school and “served our students with all of her heart.”
“Our hearts are broken for the Johnson family and we mourn together with them and all of our school community,” Pritz said in a statement to the parents, teachers, and staff of Kemp Elementary School.
“Ms. Johnson was a valuable part of our academic community,” the school district also said in a statement. “The outpouring of support for her family during this difficult time shows how much she was loved and positively impacted those around her.”
A GoFundMe page was created initially to raise funds to help her family with her hospitalization. The funds raised, which is now more than $50,000, will now be going to her family to pay for funeral expenses.
Meanwhile, Cobb County schools have decided to completely cancel in-person learning.