South Jersey mother shares story of COVID battle during pregnancy

AUDUBON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Taylor DeMarco is a new mom treasuring every moment with her son, Tatum. If you ask her, there have already been too many moments she's missed.

That's because the day Tatum was born, Taylor was in an induced coma after going to the hospital with a severe case of COVID-19.

"I mean, I didn't say goodbye to my 3-year-old, I didn't say goodbye to my husband. I waved to him in the waiting room, they would not let him back," she said.

Tatum, now five months old, was born via an emergency c-section on May 26. Taylor was only 29 weeks pregnant.

"I don't remember anything until I woke up on June 14," she said.

She spent the summer in the hospital and in rehab while Tatum was in the NICU.

"I actually don't remember taking it, but I'm glad I did," she said looking at pictures of the time.

The whole family was finally reunited at home in August.

"She's here and the baby's here and that's all that matters. So I thank God and my friends and family for that," said Taylor's mom, Robin Hufner.

When DeMarco first contracted COVID, she was a week away from her scheduled vaccine appointment. She says she could have been protected sooner, but she is now fully vaccinated. She is sharing her story now in hopes that no pregnant mother will go through what she did.

"You can be 61, you can be 31, you can be 15 -- it does not discriminate," DeMarco said of the virus.

DeMarco still has side effects from COVID. Some, like her scars, will last a lifetime.

She is enduring it all for her husband and two sons, the joys of her life.