Heartbreak as mother-of-two, 46, dies after 18 weeks on a ventilator and a DOUBLE lung transplant after going for routine check up for a cold… and finding she was dying from horror disease
- Teacher Emily Presley, 46, was hospitalized for more than 16 months
- At one point, she had to undergo two double lung transplants within days
- She died at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, surrounded by family
A Kentucky woman who thought she was going to the doctor for a cold but ended up with a devastating illness that forced her to undergo a double lung transplant and spend months on a ventilator has died.
Teacher Emily Presley, 46, went to the doctor in May 2022 because she thought it was a cold. Her husband said that before that she was a “paradigm of health” and rarely got sick.
She ended up in hospital for 16 months after it developed into serious infections and spent four months on an advanced ventilator that did the work of her heart and lungs.
Presley eventually suffered from infections that affected her lungs and had a virus that caused inflammation throughout her body.
In October 2022, she had to undergo a double lung transplant within days of each other because ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) had destroyed her lungs.
A Kentucky woman who thought she was going to the doctor for a cold but ended up with a devastating illness that forced her to undergo a double lung transplant and be on a ventilator for months has died
Teacher Emily Presley, 46, went to the doctor in May 2022 for what she thought was a cold. Her husband said that before that she was a “healthy picture” who rarely got sick
“Time and time again, she defied all odds,” said husband Jeff Presley. ‘Who could ever overcome such a trial? Emily.’
Presley’s immune system reacted negatively to proteins from the new lungs and she was recommended to have them removed and retransplanted.
“I told the medical team that Emily and I love our life together. We love our friends. We love our community. So if there’s a chance she can survive and have a good quality of life, then the answer to a second transplant is yes, Jeff Presley said.
Within 24 hours she had been matched again and the transplant had been successful.
Ultimately, she was able to go home and spend Thanksgiving 2023 with her husband, two children and her new lungs.
“I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and I am so happy that my lung transplant team at Northwestern Medicine was able to bring me home to share that gratitude with my family, my friends and the Lexington community,” Presley said at the time.
‘It’s wonderful to be at home, with my children and my dog.’
Although she had plans to return to teaching, her health unfortunately deteriorated again.
She ended up in hospital for 16 months after it developed into serious infections and spent four months on an advanced ventilator that did the work of her heart and lungs.
Although she had plans to return to teaching, her health unfortunately deteriorated again
Her family confirmed she died at 4am on Tuesday morning, surrounded by her loved ones.
‘She was ready. She was prepared. And it took everything she had,” said husband Jeff.
“Emily’s charisma went so far and made such a deep impression on people,” added Sister Leslie Cunningham.
Her husband and two teenage children were helped during this ordeal Gofundme which raised more than $100,000 in donations.
The family is celebrating her life this weekend.