36-year-old pregnant mother gets Covid-19, later dies

By Courtney Allen

Click here for updates on this story

    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — A 36-year-old Dickson County mother lost her battle to Covid-19 this week. Amanda Perry was diagnosed with the virus later in her pregnancy. The family said that the past month has been a devastating whirlwind. Amanda’s husband, Billy Perry, said she was flown to Virginia. He said they were told at the time that was the closest place with the support she needed. Billy has been in Virginia ever since by her side. He drove back to Tennessee early Wednesday morning following her death. “It was the worst part of my life,” Billy said.

Billy lost the love of his life this week. “The doctors told me it was inevitable,” Billy said. “You have to make a decision on your best friend’s life.”

His wife, Amanda, passed away Monday after a month-long battle with Covid-19. The two got married in 2017 which brought together their five children from previous marriages. After three miscarriages together, Amanda finally got pregnant with her and Billy’s first child. Then in mid-September, she got Covid-19. “You see the screen, and her heart rate is going down and down and down, and you know it is coming,” Billy said.

Amanda had to have an emergency C-section. Their child, Nolan, was born eight weeks early. Baby Nolan and Amanda both struggled in different hospitals for the past month. Amanda didn’t survive. “’If you know that I love you, I want you to blink,’” Billy recalls telling Amanda. “I said, ‘if you love me, I want you to blink.’ She blinked real hard. That was it.”

Nolan came home Saturday just shy of six pounds. Amanda’s mother said it is a little piece of her daughter still with them. “This is a miracle baby,” Carlene Bennett said. “She had lost so many trying to conceive him. She wanted to get vaccinated, but she did not want to risk the pregnancy. She said she was going to get vaxxed after she gave birth, but time ran out.”

Billy said no one will be able to replace Amanda. “She is my favorite,” Billy said. “She is my favorite girl.”

Billy said Amanda’s lived in White Bluff her whole life and worked as a hair and makeup artist in Franklin. Fortunately, Billy said he found out his company is covering the cost of Amanda’s funeral expenses. He said in hindsight, he wishes both of them had got vaccinated and says he now plans to.

A GoFundMe has been setup to help with continuing expense while Billy gets back on his feet.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.