Hundreds of Thousands "Pray for Laura" in Battle for COVID-19

Last week, my friend Laura tested positive for COVID-19 and is now battling the disease on a ventilator in an ICU unit. She is younger than I am.

I sent out a tweet asking for prayer, something I rarely do, and the response was overwhelming.

The tweet went viral, "#prayingforLaura trended globally on social media, and the post garnered more than 300,000 likes and responses, even garnering attention from celebrities such as actress Sarah Silverman and news personality Ann Curry. People from all over the world wrote to say they were praying. NBC News and other media outlets reported on the tidal wave of support.

Laura’s story is a reminder that this tragedy is not just afflicting the elderly, but people of all ages. This is part of why I believe the call for prayer stuck such a chord with so many. But the response is also a reminder that there is much goodness and kindness in this world—even amid dark times such as these.

A hundred thank you’s for all who are lifting Laura up. I believe she feels every prayer and is drawing on this strength from her hospital bed.

I am posting updates as they are available on my Instagram post about Laura. I am hopeful that she will recover, and when she does, we will have a good belly laugh as I tell her what happened while she was sleeping.

The family has established a GoFundMe page to cover Laura’s medical and recovery expenses. Any additional funds raised will be donated to COVID-19 relief efforts.

Jonathan Merritt