quadruplets (Photo : Reuters)
A 36-year-old mother died just hours after giving birth to quadruplets.
Phoenix woman Erica Morales, a real-estate agent, reportedly had a difficult time conceiving the quadruplets.
On Jan. 15, Morales gave birth to four healthy babies, one boy and three girls, at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center. The family is yet to disclose what led to her death.
The hospital said in a statement to People, "Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with the family during this very difficult time."
Morales' cousin and best friend Nicole Todman told FOX 10 News, "She never got to hold them, she never got to see them. It is so hard to know she fought so hard for her children. She will never get to brush their hair, hold their hand, watch them get married, none of that will ever happen for her."
According to Todman, it was Morales and her husband's dream to finally become parents. She told the news station, "This is all they wanted, to have this family, to make their family complete. It's like that fairy-tale story."
In order to help Morales's husband and the four newborns, who are reportedly named Carlos Jr., Erica, Paisley, and Tracy, Todman has set up a GoFundMe account and donations have already poured in.
Todman said that they will have to remember Morales, tell her children who she was and make sure they know "how wonderful a person she was, how loving and how much she wanted them, and how much she loved them."
