Colorado coronavirus victim: Jaqueline Paisano dead at 16

When Jaqueline Paisano would go to the mall with her mom, she was stopped often by classmates.

“Teenage boys and girls that I never knew would stop us and say ‘Oh, I love Jackie,’” mom Roxanne Paisano said. “It felt so nice because even though she couldn’t talk, I knew that with her smile she could make the world fall in love with her.”

Her smile is what people say they will remember the most.

Jaqueline Paisano, who everyone knew as Jackie, died of COVID-19 complications Monday night, according to George Washington High School Principal Kristin Waters. She would have been 17 next month. She is believed to be one of the youngest people in Colorado to die from the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Denver health officials on Wednesday said they could not confirm the death of a 16-year-old from the new coronavirus, and the state’s latest data on COVID-19 cases did not register the deaths of anyone under 20.

Mom was by Jackie’s bedside when it happened. She kissed her, hugged her and sang her favorite song to let her know it was OK to let go. Now, Roxanne Paisano said the pain is complicated by loneliness as she and Jackie’s 15-year-old sister, and dad, are grieving at home alone. Jackie’s 20-year-old brother, who lives on his own, is staying in his own home.

Read more at chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat Colorado is a nonprofit news organization covering education issues. For more, visit chalkbeat.org/co.

The Denver Post contributed to this report.

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