Grand Strand teenager home from hospital following leukemia, COVID-19 diagnosis Ariel Griffith, a student at Ocean Bay Middle School, was diagnosed with leukemia after contracting COVID-19. (Source: Lauren Hocin) By WMBF News Staff | January 19, 2021 at 10:39 AM EST - Updated January 19 at 11:31 AM
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – Welcome home, Ariel!
After weeks in a hospital, a Grand Strand teenager who contracted COVID-19 and then learned she had leukemia is back home.
Lauren Hocin said her daughter, 13-year-old Ariel Griffith, came home from the hospital on Friday, Jan. 15.
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A student at Ocean Bay Middle School, Ariel got sick in December, just before Christmas.
“You never think, ‘Oh my gosh, my kid has cancer, or my kid has luekemia.’ Those are not the things you immediately go to, so it’s been a shock for us,” said Lauren Hocin.
The family started getting an outpouring of support on social media, which is when they asked people to start mailing cards to Tavern in the Forest, which is Ariel’s stepfather, Aaron Hocin’s, restaurant.
Over the past few weeks, they have been inundated with cards from all over the country, including Hawaii, Virginia and Florida. Several bags full of letters are already with Ariel at MUSC.