Family Devastated After Hillcrest Nurse, Mother Of 4 Dies Suddenly After COVID-19 Battle

A Tulsa family is devastated after their mother died unexpectedly.

47-year-old Laura Hartman was a nurse at Hillcrest Medical Center. She died Sunday morning after getting COVID-19 and pneumonia.

"My mother was perfectly healthy,” said Catherine Hartman. “She ate right, she exercised, and she still died from a virus that some people think is not as bad as the flu.”

Laura's daughters said she was a kind and caring person, who always told them she'd live to be 100. They said it's hard to believe she’s gone.

"Something in my brain was like, I need to text mom and see how she's doing and then I remembered that she's not at work and I can't just text her at 1 a.m. when I need something anymore,” said Catherine.

20-year-old Catherine said the past few days have been difficult for her and her three younger siblings, Audrey, Nathan, and Jacob.

Their mom went to the hospital Sunday morning because she was having trouble breathing.

“I just came home for Labor Day,” said Catherine. “I didn't come home because she was super sick you know I realized she couldn't hold a conversation. She would get out of breath just sitting there.”

Laura died within hours of being admitted to the hospital.

"My mom never believed she was sick enough to go to the doctor," said Catherine. 

Laura was a House Supervisor at Hillcrest Medical Center and an adjunct professor at OU. 

Her colleagues say: "I am completely heartbroken,” your words of wisdom and calm approach will always be remembered,” "you were an incredible mentor, leader, nurse, mom, and friend."

Her children said the outpouring of support is incredible.

“One of her old nursing professors that I talked to yesterday told me that my mom's nursing roots ran deep and that her branches were so tall and so wide,” said Catherine. “Just the network of people she knew is blowing me away."

"It kind of made us realize how much of an impact our mom had,” said Audrey Hartman.

Catherine and Audrey said their mom was strong, independent, and incredibly reliable.

"We all had such close relationships with her and like we could so open and honest with her about anything all the time,” said Audrey.

Audrey said no matter what time they texted her, she was always there to answer, even answering their weird medical questions.

“We would ask her ‘is this splinter infected?’” said Catherine. “We don't need to go to the doctor. We would just ask our mom.”

Now that she isn't a phone call or text away, they hope people will get vaccinated so others don't lose their life line like they did. 

"For most people asking that question, I don't know how they can help, I don't know what we need, but what I've realized is the biggest way people can help is get vaccinated," Catherine said. "Some people are fine, but you can't control if you are one of those people who isn't fine."

Catherine and Audrey are both students at the University of Oklahoma. Their twin brothers are 16 and students at Booker T. Washington High School.

Laura leaves behind four kids who, along with Laura's parents, are now working to organize her funeral. If you’d like to help, friends set up a GoFundMe Page to help her children with funeral expenses.