Support is pouring out for a Virginia family after their mother-of-four died as a result of bee stings on July 28.
Sarah Harkins, 32, passed away after a severe allergic reaction to bee stings caused a brain aneurysm to rupture. Tragically, Harkins was 21 weeks pregnant at the time of the incident.
Her husband, Eric, said that she was in the backyard of their Fredericksburg area home when a beehive was disturbed. She ran into the home with a swollen face, and told Eric to call 911, but she collapsed while he was still talking to the dispatcher, The Free-Lance Star reports.
Emergency personnel were unable to revive her, and she was declared brain-dead at the hospital. Their unborn baby, Cecilia Rachel, died and the family was told that Harkins too would soon pass away.
Before Eric took his wife off life support, their four children were able to see their mother one last time.
"I'm thankful to the medic for giving me and the kids that chance, bringing her back enough so we could say goodbye to her," he told The Free-Lance Star.
"Her passing was so tough, because I love her so much. She's a gift that was given from God, he knows that I needed her, and she was this amazing gift."
Harkins was described as being dedicated to her children's development – making her own toothpaste, homeschooling the children, and leading the community's homeschool cooperative. She and Eric were married for nine years.
"Her soul is beautiful," he said. "She was honest. She was prayerful. She encouraged me, even when I didn't want to be encouraged."
The children, Liam, 7, Analee, 5, Jude, 3, and Mary Faustina, 1, who has Down Syndrome, have been left with a "massive gap" in their lives. To assist the family in this difficult time, two fundraising pages were created, and over $220,000 has been raised so far.
The family's YouCaring page has raised over $65,000, and the GoFundMe page raised over $160,000 in just eight days. Eric expressed shock and gratitude for the generosity of strangers.
"I've been checking the progress of the fund incessantly," he said on Saturday. "I can't help but cry every time. We have been truly blessed by the number of donors and their generosity. Thank you so much!"
