‘Celebrate a small victory’: Grand Strand teen off life support following leukemia, COVID-19 diagnosis

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – A Grand Strand family is celebrating a few small victories as their 13-year-old daughter battles not only COVID-19 but leukemia.

Lauren Hocin has been giving updates on her daughter, Ariel Griffith’s, condition since she got sick a couple of weeks ago.

Ariel, a student at Ocean Bay Middle School, started having health issues. She was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center where she was treated for COVID-19. But according to Lauren, Ariel’s condition worsened and they took her to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where they ultimately learned that Ariel has leukemia.

Since then, Ariel has been in the intensive care unit on a ventilator.

Ariel Griffith, a 13-year-old Oceans Bay Middle School student, has been diagnosed with both... — Ariel Griffith, a 13-year-old Oceans Bay Middle School student, has been diagnosed with both COVID-19 and leukemia.((Source: Lauren Hocin))

But on Tuesday, Lauren posted that Ariel is off life support and her ventilator was removed on Monday.

“To say I am relieved is an understatement. I cannot express my excitement and delight. I can hear her whisper and her voice will come back within a few days,” Lauren said in a Facebook post.

She said that Ariel has been doing physical therapy to get her moving and that her little girl looks “so good.”

Unfortunately, Ariel still does not know about her leukemia diagnosis, but her mother stated that her daughter has a fighting spirit.

“Ariel has been raised all around with a strong foundation in faith, baptized last year and I’m hoping she leans on that foundation and faith like I have learned to do on this journey,” Lauren wrote on Facebook.

RELATED LINK | GoFundMe to support Ariel Griffith

Lauren’s sister-in-law started a GoFundMe account to help pay for medical expenses, but Lauren said that above all they are just asking for prayers, love and support, which Lauren said they’ve received a lot of over the past few weeks.