Family Mourns The Loss Of Stockton Nurse Who Died Of Coronavirus
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Family and friends are mourning the loss of a Stockton nurse after he lost his battle against COVID-19.
Jeffrey Baumbach worked as a nurse at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton. Baumbach had recently returned from a trip to New York and started self-quarantining when he felt sick.
The Stockton nurse never went back to work at Saint Joseph's hospital after the trip. Eventually, his symptoms were later found to be COVID-19.
His daughter now wants people to know how serious this virus is.
"I didn't think it would happen to us," Kaila Baumbach said. "I thought my dad was invincible."
She said it all happened so quickly when COVID-19 took her dad's life and left her with only memories to cherish.
"He loved helping people, giving them life lessons," she said. "Jeff-isms as we called them."
Kaila said her mom, Jeff's wife, has now tested positive too.
"We love her and can't wait to be around her to help her grieve," she said.
Kaila and her loved ones are left to grieve in the era of social distancing. As much as she'd love to be able to hug her family, she knows she can't right now.
Instead, dozens showed up and parked their cars in Kaila's mother's neighborhood. Together they shined lights of hope into her mother's home while she recovers from the virus.
"It helped her know we were thinking of her and my dad," she said.
St. Joseph's Medical Center is a Kaiser affiliate. They released a statement to CBS13:
Kaiser Permanente is mourning the loss of our employee, Jeffrey Baumbach, who recently passed away as a result of COVID-19 complications. Mr. Baumbach was a Kaiser Permanente employee working at our partner hospital, St. Joseph's Medical Center. We share the grief and extend our condolences to his family and friends on the loss of their loved one, who dedicated his professional life to helping patients and families manage their medical needs.
