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Family Of Grocery Store Clerk With Cerebral Palsy Who Died Of Virus After Continuing To Help Seniors Finds Heart-Wrenching Goodbye Message On Her Phone
A kind-hearted grocery store clerk with health issues of her own insisted on going into work to assist senior customers.
Unfortunately, she fell victim to the virus and passed away...But not before leaving a surprise for her family.
Leilani Jordan worked for a Giant Food grocery store in Largo, Maryland.
Jordan had cerebral palsy and worked in the store's disability program. Despite possibly being immunocompromised, the 27-year-old insisted on going to work to help out senior citizens during the height of the hoarding shopping that happened in mid-March.
Jordan wanted to make sure that elderly shoppers were getting what they needed.
Jordan's mother Zenobia Shepherd described to CNN how her daughter helped shoppers:
"She was doing everything for them: Helping them put their groceries in their walkers, to helping them get into lifts."
Jordan's last day at the grocery store was on March 16. Afterwards, she quickly fell sick:
"It just went through her body so fast, by the time she went to the hospital, she fell out and was unconscious and put into ICU. And the next thing I knew, she was intubated."
Shepherd tearfully described her daughter's final moments:
"She coded in my arms, she had a cardiac arrest...I was able to hold my baby's hands for the last time and I was able to hold her face."
Though Jordan wasn't able to speak to her loved ones before her death, her stepfather found a surprise at home a few days later.
Charles Shepard was going through Jordan's things when he found her unlocked cellphone. On it, he found a video message from his stepdaughter.
He explained to CNN:
"She made a video saying goodbye to all us, and wished everybody the best...She told us bye; her sisters, (and her service dog) Angel, bye; and all her friends."
Giant Food released a statement about Jordan:
"We can only imagine the heartache they are experiencing and have offered our support during this difficult time"
But her mother doesn't believe that the grocery chain is blameless. She told CNN:
"Management, leadership, needed to kick and help make sure those that are vulnerable - seniors, other people - have the help and assistance they need so that they're not put into situations where they can lose their lives."
According to WBNS, Giant Food has implemented safety measures following Jordan's death.
Spokeswoman Felismina Andrade said in a statement that stores would be undergoing disinfecting treatments, and that plexiglass shields have been put in place to protect employees at registers, pharmacy counters, and at customer service desks.
Jordan's family has started a GoFundMe for funeral costs.
Shepard had initially struggled to find a funeral home that was willing to lay her daughter to rest because of fear of the virus spreading. Fortunately, she was recently able to arrange services thanks to the help of the donations. You can find a link to the fundraiser and to Jordan's memorial page here.