A 25-year-old became the caregiver for 5 siblings after her mother died of COVID-19

• Mayra Millan died from COVID-19 over a month ago, leaving her six children on their own.
• Her oldest daughter, 25-year-old Vanessa, is determined to keep the siblings together.
• The US is experiencing record-high deaths from the virus.

Last fall, Vanessa Perez was worried about her mother, Mayra Millan.

Millan worked in a grocery store in order to provide for her six children, who ranged in age from 6 to 25. But Perez was worried that interacting with the public could leave Millan exposed to COVID-19.

"We were absolutely concerned because in our household she was the only essential worker and she was older," Perez told Good Morning America. "My brother had just graduated from college in May and he was looking for employment so that he could provide for my mom and my mom wouldn't have to work during the pandemic."

But before he could find a job, Millan caught COVID-19. Perez thinks her mom was probably exposed to the virus at work. On December 14, Millan died from the virus, leaving Perez to provide for her five siblings, both emotionally and financially.

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One of the most difficult parts of being the matriarch has been explaining their mother's death to six-year-old Melanie, Perez told Good Morning America.

In addition to Perez and Melanie, the other siblings are 23, 20, 16 and 15. Perez plans to get guardianship of the three minors so that the family can stay together in their Phoenix home. Despite the difficult situation, Perez is confident that she'll be able to keep the family together.

"We're one team," she said. "That's one thing that I'm extremely grateful for, that we're really united."

Still, stepping into the role of mother has been challenging. Perez needed to plan her mother's funeral during the holidays, while also caring for her younger siblings and their grief.

Millan's death was especially jarring because she didn't have any underlying health concerns, Perez told Good Morning America. Luckily, extended family members including Millan's cousin Brenda Angelo are on deck to help Perez and her siblings.

A GoFundMe for the siblings has raised more than $30,000.

"This account is to help her children and family with funeral expenses and support in this difficult time," the page reads. "If you cannot donate please share and pray for her children and family."