'People Are Dying Alone': Google, Tech Responds To Cruel Reality

VENICE, CA — One of the cruelest parts of the coronavirus is the way it isolates people, separating those battling the virus physically from their loved ones, often leaving them to feel most alone during their final moments.

Countless patients who die of coronavirus do not have a hand to hold or a way to say goodbye.

It's a heartbreaking reality that one group of innovators wanted to change. So a team of Silicon Beach tech leaders developed an idea: Give people a lifeline to the people they love.

Since launch, COVID Tech Connect has raised more than $4 million to send more than 6,000 devices to more than 700 hospitals, senior care facilities and hospice centers across the U.S., connecting COVID-19 patients to their families and friends. Health care facilities, nursing homes and care providers in need are encouraged to apply for the program.

Google.org donated even more devices and provided a grant. An anonymous donor and thousands of people helped raise money via GoFundMe to create the project.

People were moved to act because those suffering from the virus have felt isolated and are quarantined from the outside world, and this solution gives people a view and glimpse of hope. It's a chance to connect.

Margie Ulman, 89, was one of the first 50 patients in Georgia to die from COVID-19 and the first to use a device provided from COVID Tech Connect to communicate with her family. She was admitted to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta in March and the next day tested positive for the virus, Forbes reports.

Dr. Joanne Kuntz had an idea to help connect relatives with COVID patients who could not see family or friends in person. Dr. Kuntz thought Ulman's family might want to try connecting — and so they did one last time.

“One of the most heartbreaking parts of the COVID-19 crisis is that so many people are dying alone,” said Sara Rodell, one of the six female founders of COVID Tech Connect.

“We knew immediately that this was a problem that technology could solve. There are times where technology is a ‘nice-to-have’ — but this time, technology was a ‘need-to-have,’” founder Anjali Kumar said.

"We didn’t intend to set up an operation," Kumar told Patch. "I think we’re all hearing about this problem. We put our heads together."

The group is used to problem-solving and addressing complicated challenges they face in their professional lives and careers. They had a different challenge this time.

"Our initial intention was to solve it for the requests that were coming in," Kumar said. "Ariana Grande, 'The Ellen Show' helped promote it and we also connected with Google for support. We were able to meet the demand of the hospitals."

They started with more than 40 hospitals.

"Then Google asked what would happen if they had more devices," Kumar said.

"We’ve had some really moving stories, things that the staff has shared with us — a meaningful connection that would not have happened if not for these devices," Kumar said. "It’s a heartbreaking thing that this is even the situation that we’re in; but for all of us on the team, we’re happy we can facilitate those conversations and give people a moment of peace."

It started in March, with Anjali Kumar, Benish Shah, Christina Wallace, Katie Stanton, Kristina Libby and Sara Rodell.

Each person brought a critical component of taking an idea from concept to a fully launched, fast-running project — from raising capital, to fulfillment and logistics, to communications.

COVID Tech Connect set up a GoFundMe, sponsored by The Giving Back Fund, to accept donations from the public to buy additional devices and to ship devices to recipients. Within a week of launching the GoFundMe campaign, they had raised more than $50,000. Within a month, it was more than $100,000.

"We had an overwhelming number of request from Googlers asking, 'Is there a way to help connect patients with hospitals where visitor policies are so strict?" Micah Berman of Google.org told Patch.

"This work stands out in particular because of the heart and soul that went into it — the human connection that this has potential to provide," Berman said. "We hope we’re also delivering a solution to hospitals that is set up to use for many years to come. "

The next phase will focus on hospitals, with the group reaching out to the community to see which local facilities need help. Some nursing homes are using the devices to help connect when they can’t have visitors.

COVID Tech Connect is currently offering 15 smart devices per facility, giving priority to those in greatest need. If you are a hospital, senior care facility or hospice center in need of smart devices, please visit covidtechconnect.com to apply.

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