Salem Rallies Around Coronavirus-Stricken DeCelle Family

SALEM, MA — The community is rallying around a Salem family that the coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on in recent weeks.

Four members of the DeCelle family have been stricken by the virus with 39-year-old Mike and his 12-year-old daughter, Mikayla, hospitalized and on oxygen. Erica, who is due with her third child in February, and Kylie, who is in high school, also contracted COVID-19 but had milder symptoms.

"The DeCelles are the type of people who go out of their way for others in need, they would give the shirt off their back to help others," said Ashley LeMay, who started the fundraiser. "Today they are on the other side of the fence, in need of your help."

LeMay said Mike DeCelle, who owns a tow company, was taken by ambulance to the hospital after developing breathing complications and later had to be intubated and transferred to Mass. General Hospital. Mikayla then had to go to Salem Hospital with breathing difficulty on Thanksgiving night and was also moved to Mass General Hospital, where she was put on a high-pressure oxygen machine.

"Erica has been with both of her children throughout this ordeal until now," the GoFundMe page said. "She is staying at the hospital with Mikayla as long as she can. With Erica being pregnant she is enduring a lot of extra stress on herself with her husband and child in the ICU.

"Her anxiety is getting the best of her and terrified she is going to lose the love of her life to this."

Erica's baby shower, scheduled for Sunday, has been canceled.

Mike's tow company is not operating while he is in the hospital because of a lack of staff.

LeMay has set a goal of $75,000 to go toward lost income and rehabilitation expenses.

The family has posted daily updates on the GoFundMe page indicating that Mike and Mikayla are mostly stable and slowly improving, but a long road remains for the entire family.

"We have come to the realization that this isn’t going to be a quick fix once they come off the vents, inpatient rehabilitation is a real possibility followed by doctors appointments," LeMay posted on Wednesday. "Erica is quickly realizing that soon she isn’t going to be able to get through this by herself once they come home.

"With being pregnant she is going to need all the help she can get. Again we greatly appreciate everyone’s help between prayers, donations, sharing the page and all the emotional support everyone has been giving the family."

Those wishing to donate to help the DeCelles can do so here.

GoFundMe is a Patch partner.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)