Coronavirus Tales : From Fiction to Reality

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Husband of Republican Missouri State Representative Dies of COVID-19

Husband of Republican Missouri State Representative Dies of COVID-19
Posted By Doyle Murphy on Thu, Aug 19, 2021 at 10:17 am
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  • SARA WALSH/TWITTER
  • Missouri Representative Sara Walsh announced today that her husband Steve Walsh has died after catching COVID-19.
Steve Walsh, press secretary for Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, has died after catching COVID-19, according to his wife, state Rep. Sara Walsh.

Sara Walsh delivered the news this morning on Twitter.


"It saddens my heart to share that this morning my best friend and beloved husband Steve Walsh was welcomed to Heaven’s glory into the arms of Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior," Sara Walsh of Ashland wrote.




The couple both contracted COVID-19, and Sara Walsh told KCRG in early August that she and her husband had chosen not to receive the vaccine because it had not been approved by Food and Drug Administration. She also said she knew people who'd had bad reactions to it.

The vaccines have received emergency use authorization, and the FDA and health experts have urged everyone who is eligible to get the shot while the long approval process continues. Nearly 200 million Americans have received at least one dose. The FDA announced on Wednesday that it was prepared to begin offering booster shots to the fully vaccinated, starting September 20.

Missouri remains one of the hardest-hit states in the country as the delta variant surges. Health officials continue to try to persuade reluctant residents to get the vaccine, noting that nearly all of those who are dying or forced to be hospitalized are unvaccinated. Even so, it's been a hard sell here. On August 2, the day before Sara Walsh first announced her husband was on a ventilator with COVID-19, six Republican legislators called on Governor Mike Parson to convene a special session of the General Assembly in hopes of blocking businesses from mandating vaccines for employees.

Following Sara Walsh's announcement this morning, messages of condolences poured in on Twitter from politicians as well as journalists who knew Steve Walsh from his time as a journalist and through his job as Hartzler's communications director.

"I'm so sorry to hear this devastating news," wrote Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo. Prayers for you and your wonderful husband Steve. May true arms be around in your time of need."

Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe wrote, "Steve Walsh was a true professional, an incredibly kind man of strong faith, and he was our friend."



Also this morning, as he faced a crowd of hundreds at the outdoor Governor's Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair, Governor Mike Parson paused the event's programming to inform attendees of Steve Walsh's passing from COVID-19.

Parson asked for a moment of silence. "I would ask all of you to put your thoughts and prayers with Sara and her family," he said.




 
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Jacksonville mother loses 2 sons to COVID-19 in 12 hours

Jacksonville mother loses 2 sons to COVID-19 in 12 hours
Sons, 41 and 35, were not vaccinated

Vic Micolucci, I-Team reporter, anchor

Published: August 20, 2021 3:20 pm
Updated: August 20, 2021 7:54 pm



JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville mother has lost two of her adult sons to COVID-19. She also caught the virus with them.

She was vaccinated. They weren’t.

“It’s a parent’s worst nightmare,” said a teary-eyed Lisa Brandon. “The only reason I’m doing this is to put the word out to please get vaccinated.”

She lived with her sons on the Southside and said everyone got sick in late July.

But Aaron Jaggi, 35, and Free Jaggi, 41, got worse. So she took them to the hospital. Both contracted double pneumonia. Both were admitted into the intensive care unit and ultimately put on ventilators.

Free died on Aug. 12. Aaron passed away on Aug. 13. They died within 12 hours of each other.

“This is horrible. I love my boys,” said a weeping Brandon. “They never made it home.”


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Aaron Jaggi, 35, (left) and Free Jaggi, 41, (right) with their half-sister. (WJXT)

Brandon’s now lost all three of her children: her son David passed away five years ago.

“My boys, they were my life,” she said. “That’s all I lived for, for them.”

Brandon said she took the Moderna vaccine and credits that for her mild case. She said she couldn’t convince her sons to get immunized.

“I think they would be alive today if they would have gotten their shot,” she said. “I wouldn’t have gotten it as bad. I wish I could have made them do it. And now it’s too late.”

As she deals with loss and an empty home, which she now has to move out of because they shared rent, she hopes others learn a lesson from her terrible tragedy.

Family friends are trying to support her however they can.

“I think Aaron and Free would be just blown away to see how many people cared about them,” said family friend Brittany Pequignot. “And how many people are stepping up to help their mom out in this tough time.”

Pequignot set up a fundraiser online so Brandon doesn’t have to worry about funeral expenses.



edit: From one of the sons facebook

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Florida radio host who called himself ‘Mr Anti-Vax’ dies of Covid-19


Florida radio host who called himself ‘Mr Anti-Vax’ dies of Covid-19
  • Marc Bernier was hospitalized three weeks ago
  • Station and friends pay tribute to host
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Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine bottles. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Martin Pengelly
@MartinPengelly
Sun 29 Aug 2021 10.19 EDT



A conservative radio host from Florida who criticised coronavirus vaccination efforts – and called himself “Mr Anti-Vax” – before contracting Covid-19 himself has died, his station said on Saturday.


A statement said: “It’s with great sadness that WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announce the passing of Marc Bernier, who informed and entertained listeners on WNDB for over 30 years. We kindly ask that privacy is given to Marc’s family during this time of grief.”

When Bernier was hospitalised with Covid-19, three weeks ago, WNDB operations manager Mark McKinney told local media: “If you’ve listened to his show, you’ve heard him talk about how anti-vaccine he is on the air.”

In December, Bernier told one guest: “I’m not taking it … Are you kidding me? Mr Anti-Vax? Jeepers.”

The Volusia county sheriff, Mike Chitwood, said the station told him Bernier, 65, died on Saturday night.

“I’m numb,” Chitwood told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. “To me, this is a death in the family.”

As the contagious Delta variant spreads, states led by Republicans resistant to public health mandates, Florida among them, are struggling with a surge of hospitalisations and deaths.

The overwhelming majority of hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 in the US are among unvaccinated people.

According to Johns Hopkins University, nearly 637,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US.

Covid deaths among conservative media figures who opposed vaccination or other public health mandates continue to attract national and global media attention.

Among tributes to Bernier, who WNDB said “enjoyed a successful 46-year career as a broadcast journalist”, many said that though his show presented a conservative viewpoint, he was always fair to liberals.

“He gives all sides,” Justin Gates, a listener who became a friend, told the News-Journal. “He’s not going to bully and throw punches or do potshots or do things for ratings. That’s why he’s so popular.”


 
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