BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo dentist is speaking out about her time with the UB Jacobs School of Medicine graduate who died of COVID-19 over the weekend. Buffalo-based pediatric dentist Dr. Carrie Wanamaker shared a photo of Adeline Fagan to Facebook shortly after learning of her death.
The 28-year-old was then part of the team of doctors and medical students in the delivery room helping with Wanamaker's daughter. The two never met before that August day and did not speak after. Regardless, Wanamaker said she will never forget Adeline's passion.
“You could see almost the gears in her head saying this is what I want out of life. I want to be an OBGYN. I want to deliver babies every single day,” Wanamaker said.
Wanamaker said she shared the photo to let people know the threat of the virus is still very real and the lasting impact Adeline had on her patients.
“She knew that was just the beginning and she was looking — in that moment she was looking at a whole career that got cut short,” said Adeline’s sisters, Natalie and Maureen Fagan.
The Fagan sisters spoke over Zoom from their home in Syracuse with 7 Eyewitness News in August.
In July, Adeline was diagnosed with the virus during her second year residency in Houston with the OBGYN unit. Her sister, Maureen, told 7 Eyewitness News in August, Adeline went in for a 12-hour ER shift and started feeling sick. A week later she was admitted to the hospital. Over the weekend, Adeline died of a brain bleed.
“As hard as the week may have been…there’s comfort in knowing that people across the world are getting to see Adeline, understand her story and the gravity of this virus,” said the Fagan sisters.
A GoFundMe for Fagan has raised nearly $200,000 and is still growing. The Fagan’s said the money will go toward medical and funeral expenses. What is leftover will turn into a scholarship.
“If we could help another young person like her fulfill their dreams of being a doctor, being a nurse, being a lawyer, whatever it is — that would be money well spent,” said Adeline’s sisters.
