Name of Victim: John Ware Lawshe
Age of Victim: 72
Sex of Victim: Male
What Is This Testimony About: Hospital Protocol Death
State: NC
Name of Hospital(s) victim was admitted to (List All that apply): Haywood Regional Medical Center
Did the victim survive? No
Date of Death: 12/22/2021
Contact Name: Victoria Lawshe
Relationship to Victim: Wife
Was the victim a military Veteran? No
Was the victim considered special needs, or did they have any kind of disability? No
Was the victim admitted to the hospital? Yes
County Hospital is located in: Haywood County, NC
Date Admitted: 12/08/2021
Was the victim isolated at any time during hospitalization? No
Does the victim or family feel they were treated differently by hospital staff as a result of disclosing their vaccination status? Yes
Was the victim or family pressured to sign a Do Not Resuscitate? No
Was the victim physically restrained? No
Was the victim deprived of food and water while in the hospital? No
Was victim placed on a ventilator? Yes
What medications were administered to the victim by doctors or hospital staff?
Oxygen, Propofol, Remdesivir
What medications did the hospital explicitly refuse to administer to the victim? Ivermectin
Has this incident been reported to any agency such as VAERS, HHS, JACHO, Medical Board or others? No
Place of Death: Hospital
Would you be interested in participating in podcasts or other media? Yes
A Life Worth Remembering: The Loss of John Ware Lawshe
John Ware Lawshe was not just a name on a hospital chart—he was a husband, a steady presence, and a man who had lived 72 years building a life rooted in love, commitment, and quiet strength. To his wife, Victoria, he was her partner in every sense of the word, the one who shared her days, her home, and her future. Like so many men of his generation, John represented dependability. He showed up. He worked hard. He loved his family. And when he needed help the most, he trusted the medical system to care for him.
That trust would ultimately cost him his life.
In December of 2021, John became ill. Like countless others during that time, what should have been a manageable illness quickly turned into something far more dangerous—not because of the virus itself, but because of what happened once he entered the hospital. John was admitted to Haywood Regional Medical Center in North Carolina on December 8, 2021. From that moment on, his care was no longer guided by individualized treatment or patient-centered decision-making. Instead, it followed a rigid path, one that Victoria would later come to understand was all too familiar to families across the country.
Early treatment options that could have helped John were never given. Requests for ivermectin—a medication many families had been seeking as a potential treatment—were denied outright. Instead of being offered a range of options or even a discussion about alternatives, John was limited to what the hospital allowed. There was no flexibility, no willingness to consider anything outside of the established protocol.
As his condition progressed, the pressure to follow that protocol intensified.
John was given oxygen and eventually administered remdesivir, a drug that had already raised serious concerns among families and some medical professionals due to its risks and questionable outcomes. What should have been a time for carefulness, measured decisions became a fast-moving escalation of interventions. Like so many others, John was placed on a ventilator—a step that families were often told was necessary to save their loved one’s life, but one that too often marked the beginning of the end.
Victoria was left to watch as her husband’s condition declined under this course of treatment.
There was no meaningful discussion about the risks. No true informed consent. No acknowledgment of alternative approaches. Just a steady progression deeper into a system that seemed to allow only one path forward.
Within two weeks, John was gone.
On December 22, 2021, he died in that hospital.
The speed of it is what haunts families like Victoria. A man who had lived a full life—who had been strong enough to reach 72 years—was taken in just 14 days after entering the hospital. Not because there were no options, but because the options were withheld. Not because there was nothing that could be done, but because only certain things were allowed to be done.
And when those things failed, there was no turning back.
For Victoria, the loss of John was not just the loss of her husband, it was the loss of her future as she knew it. The silence in their home. The absence at the table. The empty space beside her where he should still be. These are the realities that remain long after the hospital charts are closed and the official narratives are written.
But what lingers even more deeply is the question that so many families carry:
What if?
What if John had been treated earlier?
What if doctors had been willing to try alternatives?
What if his care had been based on his needs, not a one-size-fits-all protocol?
These are the questions that never go away.
John’s story reflects patterns that have been reported by families across the country—denial of early treatment, refusal to consider off-label medications, and a rapid escalation toward remdesivir and mechanical ventilation without meaningful discussion or consent. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader system that many now believe prioritized protocol over patient, compliance over care.
These are egregious crimes against humanity, and they must be acknowledged, exposed, and stopped.
Betrayal Project USA exists to ensure that stories like John’s are not buried or dismissed. We are a victim-led organization, built by families who have experienced this same kind of loss and betrayal. We are giving a voice to those who can no longer speak, and a platform to those left behind seeking truth, accountability, and reform.
Our community is made up of widows like Victoria, families searching for answers, and survivors who know firsthand what happened behind hospital doors. Together, we are building a record that cannot be ignored.
John Ware Lawshe’s life mattered. His story matters. And Victoria’s voice matters.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by COVID-related protocols, treatments, or policies, we urge you to come forward. Document your story. Share your truth. Help us ensure that no victim is forgotten and that these injustices are never allowed to continue.
Submit your story at betrayalprojectusa.org.
Because justice begins with telling the truth and the truth is long-overdue.
