Wyatt Gibson suffered a stroke and died on July 16 in a Chattanooga, Tennessee, hospital where he’d been intubated because he was having trouble breathing and his oxygen levels were low, his godmother Amanda Summey told CNN.
He was a healthy child, and his parents thought he had just had mild food poisoning or a stomach bug when first got sick, according to a statement written by the family.
The family said they noticed that Wyatt’s tongue was white on July 12, and rushed him to their local emergency room where he was diagnosed with strep, staph and Covid-19.
The post included a video of Wyatt spinning around outside in a big pair of cowboy boots, strumming his guitar and singing a made-up song about things he loved.
“We loved having fun and going on adventures together. He loved his momma and his sister so very much, and he was always looking for ways to help,” he wrote, adding that Wyatt liked to wave at people in grocery stores because he knew it would make their day.
Wyatt’s dad and 8-month-old sister, Alyssa, also tested positive for Covid-19, along with his maternal grandmother, who was at the house, according to Summey.
Summey said she took care of Alyssa on Friday, and is now in quarantine. She’s tested negative for Covid-19 and has no symptoms.
Summey said she doesn’t know if other members of the Gibson family were vaccinated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics said that 23,500 child cases were reported between July 8 and 15, representing 15.9% of the week’s reported cases.
Wyatt’s family is in quarantine as they struggle to make sense of their loss, Summey said.
“I wasn’t supposed to be able to have children, so Wyatt, he was my boy before I could have a boy,” Summey said. “That’s why I’m the godmomma.”
She described Wyatt as her 3-year-old son’s best friend, and “the most loving, joyous kid,” who thought everything was fun.
He’d even respond with an excited “Yay!” when it was time to go grocery shopping, Summey said.
“He was so helpful and just the best big brother,” she said. “He wanted to do whatever he could to help.”