Honoring a final wish: Family of woman who died from COVID-19 waiting on answers from care facility

WEST ALLIS -- Even in her final days at Allis Care Center, Margaret Porter never lost her motherly instinct.

"Her life was taking care of her kids," said Jackie Porter, Margaret's daughter-in-law. "It was hard, the fact that she passed and we didn't get to see her."

The 92-year-old was a mother of three. Now, her only living child, Steven, and his family are trying to honor her final wish.

Margaret Porter

Margaret Porter

On April 8, Porter was the first person to die from complications of COVID-19 at Allis Care Center. For eight days, the family called numerous times to gather her belongings which include an urn with her son's ashes.

Jackie Porter

"The phone rang and rang and rang and never got through. And this was pretty much an everyday thing," said Porter.

Margaret cared for her youngest son, Jeffrey, who had epilepsy and her daughter, Debbie, who had pancreatic cancer until they died in their early years. She knew when it was her time-- that she wouldn't go without them.

Joshua Porter

"We'd really like to get the urn so we can have them all buried together, and she can be rest in peace," said Margaret's grandson Joshua Porter.

A representative with Exceptional Living Centers -- which manages Allis Care Center -- said it's facility policy is to respond to all messages with 24 hours, but the Porter family said that has not been done.

"The fact that how wonderful of a mother she was, what she gave up for those kids, she shouldn't have had to go this way," Jackie said.

It is why the family will continue to fight for their mother and grandmother's final wish. They said they will not move forward with burial services until the situation is resolved.

Since early April, FOX6 News has received eight tips about Allis Care Center, many of them are from relatives of those inside the facility who cannot get their questions answered. The facility said it will not release if anyone else has tested positive for the virus to protect the privacy of its residents and their families.

The health department has not responded to FOX6's records requests at this time.