Dad-to-be loses battle with COVID-19 after ‘living life to the fullest’
Oct 27, 2021, 10:23 PM | Updated: Oct 28, 2021, 5:19 am
UTAH COUNTY, Utah — Just two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, Marcus Rittmanic, 28, lost his battle with the virus in the ICU.
His wife, Ashlyn Rittmanic, said he developed pneumonia and his breathing was so labored she took him to the hospital within a week of contracting the virus.
“He had a couple up-and-down days and then the last two days he was in the ICU and things went downhill pretty fast,” she said.
Rittmanic said her husband had no pre-existing health conditions and thought his hospital stay would be a short one. Her husband‘s father was also in the hospital with COVID-19 in 2020 and survived.
“Everyone was reassuring me, ‘it will be a couple days, he’ll be home. He just needs a little extra help,’” she said. “I’m still in shock and trying to process what’s happening this week.”
The couple was excited to welcome their first child in the spring. Ashlyn said while in the hospital her husband learned they were having a boy.
Just two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, Marcus Rittmanic, 28, lost his battle with the virus in the ICU.
At 10:00, hear from his wife about the legacy he leaves behind and the lesson we can all learn from his positivity @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/RQ5HhBUtcY
— Ashley Moser (@AshleyMoser) October 28, 2021
“He was on oxygen, but he was able to open the gender and show me via FaceTime,” she said. “I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life because it was just amazing. Not quite what we had planned for our gender reveal, but I’m so glad we got to do it.”
Marcus Rittmanic died two days later. His wife is grateful for the support she had received since and hopes his story will inspire others to live life to the fullest.
“He was just really able to live his life with no regrets and live to the fullest,” she said. “I think that’s just the biggest message I’m taking away, to not stress about the little things because ultimately they don’t matter.”
Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe* account to help with Rittmanic’s funeral expenses.
*KSL-TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
