Kentucky Man Dies of COVID One Day After He Was Scheduled to Get Vaccinated

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A Kentucky man died last month died of COVID-19 — just one day after he was scheduled to get the vaccine.

Steve Brown, 68, was scheduled to get vaccinated on Aug. 27, but after experiencing severe symptoms of COVID-19, he was instead admitted to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Thomas, where he was immediately placed on a ventilator.

"Dad was having a lot of trouble breathing, like, almost gasping for breath," his daughter, Molly, told LEX18.

Brown's condition quickly deteriorated and he died the following morning on Aug. 28.

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Since her father's death, Molly is urging others to get vaccinated. She is sharing his story as a warning against the spread of misinformation.

"If anybody is listening who is on the fence about getting the vaccine, just go, like run, don't walk. Get it," she told the outlet.

"He actually made the comment that if he got the vaccine it would kill him," Molly added, recalling his initial fear when the vaccine first came out. "If even one person chooses to get vaccinated based on my dad's story, then he didn't die in vain."

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Brown's family created a GoFundMe that has already raised $1,225 of its $7,000 goal to cover funeral costs.

Hospitals across the country have been strained with increasing numbers of unvaccinated patients, and the majority of deaths related to COVID in the U.S. have been reported in people who haven't been vaccinated.

As of Sunday, 53% of the U.S. population (175.9 million people) is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 62.3% (206.9 million) have received at least one dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.