A Middletown woman is fighting for her life in need of a lung transplant after contracting COVID-19, while also suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, which attacks the lungs. Eighteen year old Anel Burgos helps her mother while she remains bedridden. 

Anel was only 11 when her mother, Laura Hernandez Moreno was diagnosed with Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that involves the tightening of the skin and connective tissues. Anel says the disease escalated overtime.

“Things kind of just started going downhill with her health and she was actually admitted to the hospital for the first time in 2019 I believe, because she had a little lesion on her lung,” said Burgos.

That lesion in her lung was just one of many other health concerns that Moreno would have to face.

“She went to the hospital for pneumonia, and then she came back and we were expecting her to get better, but she actually ended up getting worse,” said Burgos.

Earlier this year, Anel was woken up by her mother saying she couldn’t breathe. Moreno was rushed to the hospital, and later found out she had a pulmonary collapse and she also tested positive for COVID.

“It's very scary because you know, COVID is targeted through lungs, mostly, and she already has very damaged lungs she has pulmonary fibrosis so at that point, it was sort of like a life or death situation,” said Burgos.

Laura eventually recovered from the virus but is now in desperate need of a lung transplant. Fighting back tears, Anel shares how difficult it was to not have her mom see her graduate from high school.

“Looking out in the crowd and looking out for my mom, but she wasn't there. She watched my graduation through the TV,” said Burgos.

Anel calls her mother a true miracle from God.

“I just don't have any other words to describe it, but God's miracle because I literally thought that when she got COVID that was gonna be it,” said Burgos.

Laura Moreno shares that her faith and the love and support from her daughter and family is what keeps her going.

“That’s why I’m here, because of Him... As long as He gives me strength and I have to get up five to ten times; I’ll do it for Him and my family,” said Moreno.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with medical costs.