Video: Parents hope others will learn from daughters' death from flu

EVERY PARENT
TO HEAR.
DONNA: KAYLA LINTON'S PARENTS
SPOKE TO 11 NEWS REPORTER KERY
CAVANAUGH ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTER'S
SUDDEN DEATH, AND WHAT THEY WANT
OTHERS TO LEARN FROM HER LIFE.
KERY: MEMENTOS FROM SCHOOL,
SPORTS AND FRIENDS PACK KAYLA
, LINTON'S BEDROOM A TESTAMENT
TO A DRIVEN 17-YEAR-OLD WHO
NEVER SLOWED DOWN UNTIL SHE
DEVELOPED A COUGH, CONGESTION
AND FEVER IN JANUARY.
>> THAT WASN'T HER.
SHE'S ALWAYS ACTIVE, WORKS TWO
JOBS, DOES SPORT
KERY: LINTON SAYS A DOCTOR
DIAGNOSED HER DAUGHTER WITH
INFLUENZA TYPE A AND PRESCRIBED
REST AND OVER THE COUNTER
MEDICATION.
THE NEXT DAY, KAYLA'S SYMPTOMS
FLARED UP.
>> SHE SAID HER CHEST WAS
HURTING.
SHE AGREED TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL, SO WE TOOK HER UP TO
ST. AGNES EMERGENCY ROOM AND HER
CHEST X-RAYS CAME BACK
COMPLETELY CLEAR.
KERY: ONCE AGAIN, LINTON TOOK
HER DAUGHTER HOME TO LET THE FLU
RUN ITS COURSE.
72 HOURS LATER SHE SAYS KAYLA
COLLAPSED IN HER BEDROOM.
IT WAS 30 SECONDS FROM TALKING
>>IT WAS 30 SECONDS FROM TALKING
-- >>
IT WAS 30 SECONDS FROM TALKING
TO LIFELESS.
I REPLAY EVERYTHING IN MY HEAD
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
>> KAYLA DIED AT THE HOSPITAL
FOUR DAYS AFTER SHE WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH THE FLU.
>> THE AUTOPSY CAME BACK AS THE
FLU WITH COMPLICATIONS OF
SEPSIS.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN PUT IT IS GOD
HAS A PLAN AND HE WANTED HER.
THAT'S WHAT I KEEP TELLING
MYSELF.
CARRY: -- KERRY: THE LINTONS
WANT KAYLA TO BE REMEMBERED AS A
STANDOUT ATHLETE AND STUDENT.
THEY ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP
FUND IN HER NAME AT LANDSDOWNE
HIGH.
ONE FUNDRAISER HAS ALREADY
GENERATED OVER $6,000 AND THE
SCHOOL IS SELLING STICKERS AND
BRACELETS TO BUY NEW ATHLETIC
EQUIPMENT IN HER NAME.
THE LINTONS ARE HOPEFUL KAYLA'S
LEGACY WILL EXTEND BEYOND
LANDSDOWNE HIGH BY RAISING
AWARENESS ABOUT SEPSIS INFECTION
, EVEN IN A HEALTHY CHILD LIKE
KAYLA.
>> IF IT MAKES ONE PERSON CHECK
OUT A LITTLE KID EVEN MORE OR DO
THAT EXTRA STEP TO DO BLOOD WORK
AS A PRECAUTION TO PREVENT
SEPSIS, THEN AT LEAST HER DEATH
WASN'T IN VAIN.
KERRY: LINTON'S LAST
RECOMENDATION, GET A FLU SHOT.
KAYLA DID NOT HAVE ONE.
>> KAYLA WOULD BE THE ONE WHO
WAS HURTING, BUT SHE WOULD BE
THE ONE WHO BE COMFORTING
EVERYONE ELSE.
KERRY: NOW, KAYLA'S PARENTS ARE
TAKING COMFORT IN 17 YEARS OF
HAPPY MEMORIES OF THEIR SUNSHINE
.
>> THE SONG JUST FIT HER BECAUSE

Video: Parents hope others will learn from daughters' death from flu

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