Hero NHS worker, 61, died after telling kids 'please don't leave me – I don't want to die'

AN NHS admin worker died from Covid-19 just days after telling her kids: "Please don't leave me here – I don't want to die."

Mum-of-three Liz Shale, 61, was taken to St James's Hospital in Leeds, West Yorks, on March 31 but her condition continued to deteriorate.

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Days later medics told her devastated family there was nothing more they could do for her.

She passed away on April 9, seven minutes after her ventilator was removed.

Liz, who worked for the NHS for 20 years but spent the last decade working in palliative care in Bradford, had been urging people to take the virus seriously.

In her last Facebook post on March 23 she warned: "Just want to make this point in case people haven't realised it yet – the longer you don't comply with social distancing, the longer we're going to have to do it."

Last night, her family paid tribute to the "bubbly" gran-of-eight, of Leeds, West Yorks., and described her as the "glue that kept us all together".

Her eldest son, Jason Shale, 34, told The Sun: "When all this started she wanted to continue going into work.

"She was one of those bubbly people who liked to motivate everyone. She just continued trying to do that until she became ill.

"She was initially told she had flu but she was eventually taken into hospital.

"We spoke to her on the phone and she told my brother she thought she was going to die and not to leave her there.

"She didn't want to die and said she was scared.

"The consultants and doctors went above and beyond for her but she wasn't showing any improvements.

"All signs were actually showing that she was getting worse, that's why they decided to remove the ventilator."

Dad-of-three Jason, a mental health nurse, said they had since been told they will not be allowed into the crematorium for her funeral.

He added: "We can attend but only in the car park and remaining in our cars.

"We have first hand experience of when people don't adhere to the rules, this is where you end up.

"The rules aren't there to be punitive, they are there to make sure that everyone stands a fair chance.

"At this moment in time my mum's body is classed as a biohazard. No one can open her coffin or do anything with it because of the risks.

"The last thing she would want is anyone getting it from her."

Liz's devastated butcher son, Matthew Jones, 24, said: "She was truly amazing.

"We shared plenty of good memories that will stay in my heart forever and never be forgotten.

"She loved all her family and friends, it won’t be the same without her. #stayhome stay safe."

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It comes as the UK's death toll yesterday rose by 847, taking the total to 14,576.

At least 50 NHS staff, care home workers, hospital employees, and other health workers, have died so far in the coronavirus crisis.

Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff

SUN readers are today urged to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.

Yesterday, we backed a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.

A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.”

SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”

We are asking readers to sign the petition online at thesun.co.uk/georgecrossfornhs.

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