“She was very outgoing, she was the clown in the family. She was always happy, always singing in the car, in the house, just a really bubbly girl,” she says. “Alyssa was smart, you never saw her in a bad mood, you never had to be on top of her about doing her chores or homework. She was just a joyful little girl.”
Alyssa Alcaraz (middle)
Courtesy Jeremy Alcaraz
As of today, the parents say they have not heard a response from Kaweah Delta Medical Center concerning the misdiagnosis at their urgent care center. Though they haven’t sought legal action as of yet, Jeremy Alcaraz says he may look into getting a lawyer to press doctors around the country into changing policies.
“They’re just acting like nothing happened. She was only 12 years old, she had a long life to live, who knows what she could have been when she grew up?” Jeremy says. “We don’t know, and we’ll never know now.”
With flu season in high gear across the country, California has seen at least 27 people younger than 65 die from influenza since October. The flu does share similar symptoms with strep infections, such as fever, fatigue and a loss of appetite.
“I want parents to push doctors to do more testing,” adds Jeremy. “Nobody knows their children better than parents. You know your child better than anyone.”
GoFundMe
Members of the family have opened a GoFundMe page to help pay for related expenses, and nearly 117 people have raised more than $7,000 to support the family.
“We take it day by day, it’s hard, everything about her we miss. I cry every day, just random times,” Lino admits. “I remember things she would do or say, or just driving around town—the memories are just hard. I’m just trying to stay strong for the other three that we have.”
Yet, they feel comforted by the hope their daughter’s story may help other parents when their children show flu-like symptoms.
“My daughter said she always wanted to be famous,” Jeremy says, with aches in his voice. “Well, this is her chance, and she’s a hero. She’ll save many lives.”
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