FED Wife Afraid to Take Time Off During Family Emergency

I know this maybe crazy but my wife works for the USDA and last night her mother had a massive heart attack. Her heart stopped for several minutes and she is still in a coma. She is so afraid of a RIF she isn't going to take the day off of work to be with her mom or family. I keep telling her she really needs to be with her mom but she is so scared that after putting in 20 years and being in her mid 40s that she will lose everything. I just don't know how to cope this is all so crazy. Everyone around us says this is like a firing anyone else could get. It is not we both know how being let go from the private sector feels because we have but never once did I feel that we couldn't be with a gravely ill family member. This just feels like an extra level of cruelty and I don't know what to tell my wife to do. I know many are in our place and I just wanted to put this out so other workers knew they weren't alone and to get it off my chest.

*Edited to add: She knows she can't stop a RIF what she is more worried about is some crazy email that ask her to do some silly task or be let go. Anyway she is taking the time off to be with her mom thank you all for helping her see and sorry if I didn't word this well since last night everything has been insane.

*Edit 2: Thank you all she read some of this and decided being with her mom was way more important. She is with her now. I know this is a hard time on all feds so honestly thank you for helping her.