LARGO, Md. (CNN) As the coronavirus pandemic intensified, Leilani Jordan insisted on going to her job as a clerk at a Maryland grocery so she could help seniors, her mother said.<\/p>\n
She had challenges of her own, as a worker with cerebral palsy. But as shoppers around the country raided shelves for necessities in early to mid-March, Jordan wanted to make sure the elderly got theirs.<\/p>\n
Its just crazy here at work but somebodys got to do it, Jordan said, according to her mother, Zenobia Shepherd. Ive got to help the older people.<\/p>\n
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She was doing everything for them: Helping them put their groceries in their walkers, to helping them get into lifts, Shepherd said.<\/p>\n
Then the 27-year-old became sick.<\/p>\n
The clerk for a Giant Food store in Largo, a few miles east of Washington, was hospitalized with coronavirus in March and died last week, her family said.<\/p>\n
It was my baby! Shepherd, crying, told CNNs New Day Wednesday. All she wanted to do was just help people.<\/p>\n
It isnt clear how Jordan got Covid-19. But she was working in a type of essential business where people still must gather at in a time when health officials would rather people stay apart and her family feels she wasnt properly protected.<\/p>\n
She (told me), Mom, there is no masks here, there is no gloves, there is no hand sanitizer, Shepherd said.<\/p>\n
Jordan last worked at the store on March 16, the company said. Giant Food has said it was saddened to confirm Jordan died of coronavirus.<\/p>\n
We can only imagine the heartache they (her family) are experiencing and have offered our support during this difficult time, the company said.<\/p>\n
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About the familys accusations about protection, the company said: At the time of Jordans last day of work, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention wasnt recommending masks, so the company didnt provide them.<\/p>\n
Since then, the CDC has updated its recommendations, and the company now is supplying its workers with plastic face shields, which they can wear if they choose.<\/p>\n
Giant stores have always had hand sanitizer and\/or cleaning products available for workers, the company said, adding the company has no record of a request or complaint from Jordan.<\/p>\n
The company mandates only that its food service workers wear gloves, but other workers always have been allowed to wear them, and can if interested, it said.<\/p>\n
In the moments before Jordan died, she was intubated, unable to talk.<\/p>\n
But, unbeknownst to her family, shed already recorded her goodbyes.<\/p>\n
Her stepfather, Charles, was at home after she died, going through some of her things.<\/p>\n
She (had taken) her password off of her phone, so it wasnt locked, he told CNNs Alisyn Camerota.<\/p>\n
He found a video with a heart-wrenching message.<\/p>\n
She made a video saying goodbye to all us, and wished everybody the best, he said.<\/p>\n
She told us bye; her sisters, (and her service dog) Angel, bye; and all her friends.<\/p>\n
She told them, you know, See you on the other side.'<\/p>\n
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Coronavirus Cases: 27-Year-Old Maryland Grocery Clerk Leilani Jordan With Cerebral Palsy Dies Of COVID-19 - CBS Baltimore<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LARGO, Md. Continue reading