Erika Zak, the mother who inspired millions through her resilience to fight for a liver transplant, died early Friday during surgery, her husband, Scott Powers, told CNN. She was 39.
Her death came after a liver became available Thursday afternoon, and her transplant team at the Cleveland Clinic hustled to prepare her for surgery, Powers said.The news of the available liver buoyed Erika's spirits and spread excitement among her surgical team and family after waiting more than a year for this moment, he said. Before going into surgery, he said, Erika was able to spend time with the couple's 5-year-old daughter, Loïe.
— CNN Newsroom August 21, 2019 Couple met during collegeErika and Scott Powers met in 1998 when he was at Brown University and she was at the Rhode Island School of Design, both in Providence.The two were polar opposites. He was the MVP of Brown's soccer team and majored in economics. She was into the arts and majored in textile design. He was from the tightly wound East Coast, she from the free-wheeling West Coast. A love was born. He made her laugh and feel beautiful.
— Erika Zak August 11, 2019 Even as her health worsened, she urged people to sign up to become organ donors to save the lives of others."We are overwhelmed with love and this amazing community of people -- friends and strangers," she wrote on Instagram."Fingers crossed that we can make a difference for me and so many like me.
Too Young but God Almighty can't be questioned RIP and condolence to family...
Oh,my god!Sorry to hear it!Love and strength to her family!
Support
Support it
Heartbreaking.
😢
I am so sorry to hear this and prayers to her family UHC stinks putting it nicely- this should not have happened. I fell skiing broke my humerus bone in my shoulder and UHC denied me PT after 3 months - I have had to rehab myself - why when I pay every month to receive care
Life is just so easy when you have money..
pa
G O D B L E S S
OMG/Omniabsolute: Longevity on Earth isn't promise to nobody. Thus just upgrade to USA'S (Second Coming of Jesus Christ's ultimate Consummation) -sex- ASAP & all is well & satisfied in this SpaceTime until ETERNITY! 'And this too shall/will come to past/pass'. [eulogy & flowers]
My faith in God tells me that she has found rest and will never suffer again because every tear is wiped away and she has joy forever more. God is forever merciful and good and they will experience his goodness and kindness in the days to come.
I am heartbroken I send my deep condolences to her little girl and her family. Believe me it's times like these that try our faith. I can't understand it, I loved her and she helped many have resilence in the face of of defeat. She received her liver yet we still lost her.
Oh my word
Prayers to the family
RIP you beautiful woman, wife, mother. Just like my father you struggled too long with insurance idiots deciding how badly you need to be dying to qualify. The length patients have to go through in need of life saving organs is a joke. 100% her death lies on United Healthcare.
Rest well, your fight is over...well done good and faithful servant.
A beautiful woman. I’m sorry thinking a child left after the mother’s death.
There are no words.
Rest in peace fighter!!
Same my age. Rip
الله يرحمها ويسكنها الجنة
My mentor 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😱😱😱😱😱😱
Just one example of the inadequacy of the US health system. The US can learn from Cuba and/or TR, how it should to be.
Abdul Rasheed Quresh hashmi 03060420285th LAHORE ValanciaTown P1 PAKISTAN
RIP
Rest in peace
May she rest in peace.
She could've just Believed in GOD IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and be healed Faith 100%
So so sad. Condolences to the family
Sad
So sad. RIP
Really painful. May her gentle soul rest in peace.
Perhaps if she had been granted access before her health had declined so dramatically, she could’ve survived the operation. We need better methodology to determine the order on transplant lists.
So tragic.😥
Let's say some 1 gets an organ transplant And lets say the thing is a success . Do u know how many years on average a man or a woman keep living after the transplant ?
😪😥😢💜🙏💜
I just read her story earlier this week. I was praying for her and her family, and it's so sad that she seemed to be on the verge of getting her wish for a new liver, only to not survive the surgery. I hope she is at peace now.
Rest In Peace with God he will take care of you now🙏
My prayers to the Zak family 💚
ad
Heartbreaking!!
I thought they grow these in the lab now
😢
R.I.P.
Sad
So what does UHC get from this? Saved a few bucks did they?
🥀🇨🇦
RIP 😔 We live in a world in which more money is spent on fighting one another than helping each other. Condolences to the family
May the Almighty God rest her soul in peace! Difficult to survive using others organ.
Heartbreaking
This is something that should never happen in our nation. United health care and UNOS should be ashamed of themselves. This is unacceptable at all levels that they let this get to this point.
Just 🌷
This so outrageous that this woman had to plead with Insurance for a liver yet when her story goes viral, instant approval. Legal murderers!
This is an example where - when someone is facing the situation she was - it should not be in the hands of insurance companies. Needing an organ aside, doctors should have done things regardless of the costs
We can’t judge all means trials but when your time comes you can’t reverse. She was a fighter and May her family continue to be strong. RIP Erika Zak.
☹rest in peace. My condolences to her family.
So sad so young god help her family
Heartbreaking.... just so damn heartbreaking..
Thanks to UnitedHealthGrp the daughter of Erika Zak will grow up without her mother. The CEO put profits over lives. They waited too long to respond to Erika's plea for approval of a transplant.
Condolences to her family.. may she Rest In Peace. And may she make the insurance companies think about the role they play (or don’t play well or compassionately) in health care, especially in vital life saving organ transplants.
My prayers are with you and your family
😟
R.I.P
It's a reminder how not all goes as plan in a transplant surgery.
God bless 🙏🏻❤️
Rest in power
So sad god bless you and your family 😢
bannerite So heartbreaking! I grieve for her family & wish them strength in these crushingly sad days without Erika.
REST IN PEACE ERIKA 🙏🏻
RIP
Sadly this is going to continue.
rhonda_harbison A far greater loss than David Koch. So sorry for the family.
Rest In Peace ErikaZak beautiful one, you fought hard but time was short! A courageous battle you shared with us made your voice loud&clear about liver transplants how unfairly our health plans treat us. You have given us hope&inspiration we will never be silent. Prayers to you
😭😢RIP you were & will always be an inspiration to many ❤️
Soooooo sad RIP Erika Zak!!!
very sad news. Condolences to her Family and Friends.
This makes me so sad. I was hoping she would find a donor after telling her story. RIP Erika. You no longer have to suffer anymore. 😢
😥
For 18 months UnitedHealthcare denied the transplant...while they stalled, Erika's health declined. No one's fate should be weighed against corporate profit. Until we have meaningful healthcare reform, there will be more cases like Erika's. Tragic loss.
United Healthcare- their primary purpose is to maximize profits. Patients, people, that ARE the customers ( the reason they exist) are given as little care as possible. And as slowly as possible. The CEO is no example for anyone, especially his children. Sickening & maddening!
She was a brave leader for all those who follow in her footsteps. Anyone who knew and loved her was blessed .
unitedhealthcare is probably one of the worst healthcare rejection organizations in the USA. It’s all about the almighty $$$ & nothing to do with patient care. If the transplant was done earlier she might have lived. UnitedHealthcareSucks ! It’s not care at all!
May she rest in paradise.
Rest in eternal peace Erika!
Poor woman. After all she's been through. Heartbraking. Rest in Peace Erika.
Going home sweetheart.
Oh my god, I'm sorry to hear this. To get so close is even more heartbreaking. Love & strength to her family.
And trump still kicking 😔
Very sad.R.i.p.!
May she Rest In Peace
Really sad. Condolences to her family.
😢 May she rest in everlasting peace...
That is so sad I am lost in words. I have been following her for two weeks. Our Healthcare sucks. We need change Trump needs to go. She has left behind children I am so sorry rest in peace Erika. :(
This is what a real hero looks like! RIP angel!
So sad, and so very unnecessary. UHC and GOP have her death on their souls. Godspeed, Erika, and let’s get a more rational and less profit-driven healthcare system rolling as your memorial.
May she Rest in peace
God love her 🕊
☹️☹️☹️
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