On Thursday, a 13-year-old boy by the name of Maxx Cheng died alone after self-isolating in his room for more than a week with COVID-19 symptoms.
According to multiple reports, Maxx began to feel sick on the Fourth of July, with symptoms such as chest pains, nausea and even vomiting.
But it wasn’t until July 9 that his mother grew so concerned she took him to get a drive-through test.
Surprisingly, he tested negative for the virus despite his symptoms matching those of COVID-19.
His sister, Charlotte Cheng, admitted the teen’s family was “a little bit confused…..that list that pops up, a little bit, on that initial search [for the virus],” she said. “He had all of those symptoms.”
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The Chengs decided to have Maxx self-isolate in his bedroom as he recovered.
And on each day, they would check on him regularly. Day by day, he seemed to be getting better but on Thursday, things took a dramatic turn.
Charlotte then revealed how her brother wasn’t answering when they went to check on him, and when they opened the door, they found him passed out in his room.
His family was shocked at how a healthy boy, who had zero underlying conditions, died so suddenly.
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They are also confused as to why he tested negative for the virus and how he could suddenly die when his symptoms were in fact improving.
“There was almost no cough,” Charlotte told CBSLA. “The fever had gone down three days before he passed.”
The Chengs are sharing Maxx’s story in hopes that others will be reminded of how severe the virus is. In addition, friends have organized a GoFundMe campaign in honor of the teen, who also leaves behind a twin brother, and it described him as the “intelligent, funny, and mature” young man he was.
Charlotte remembered her brother as a budding athlete who dreamt big. “He had this, like, dream of wanting to go to the Olympics,” she revealed to CBSLA.
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