Alabama man dies after being turned away from 43 hospitals amid COVID surge, family says

A 73-year-old Alabama man died of a "cardiac event" after being turned away from dozens of hospitals across three states that had no available cardiac ICU beds, his family said. They're now urging people to get vaccinated to "free up resources for non COVID related emergencies" as the virus continues to surge in Alabama and other states.

Ray DeMonia, an antiques dealer who ran his own store for four decades, died on September 1, three days before his 74th birthday, relatives said in an obituary.   They said emergency staff at Cullman Regional Medical Center contacted 43 hospitals in three states in search of a cardiac ICU bed for DeMonia. On Monday, Jennifer Malone, a hospital spokesperson, confirmed that DeMonia was a patient at Cullman Regional Medical Center and told CBS News that "he needed medical services that were not available" at the hospital.