Maurice 'Reggie' Shepperson, a fully vaccinated flight attendant, died from COVID-19 related complications nearly two months after he contracted the virus during a trip to Hawaii. Shepperson was on ventilator support for several weeks before he breathed his last on Tuesday.
Shepperson was a flight attendant with Southwest Airlines for nine years. He was admitted to the Henderson Hospital on July 7.
How did Shepperson Contract COVID-19 ?
Hailing from New York, the 36-year-old flight attendant had taken a work trip to Hawaii in June, during which he contracted the virus.
Speaking to USA Today, Shepperson's mother Dawn Shepperson said that her son, who loved to fly and travel, was very cautious and took every precaution to avoid contracting COVID-19. "It hurt me so bad because it was just so quick. I didn't have time to really even acknowledge what is going on. This is mind-blowing. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real," the grieving mother told the outlet.
The Daily Mail reported that Shepperson had taken his mother on his last trip to Hawaii. The duo was repeatedly tested before they came back. In a Facebook post during his trip, the flight attendant posted a picture of his mother enjoying in the sunny island. "Took mommy on my work trip to Hawaii I'll be back to get her tomorrow lol love this woman with all my heart," he captioned the post.
Shepperson Took Precautions Against COVID-19
However, soon after returning home, Shepperson fell ill and quarantined himself. It was only after he had breathing trouble that Shepperson admitted himself to the hospital.
Marcia Hildreth, a friend and fellow Southwest flight attendant, told the outlet that Shepperson wore a mask, constantly washed his hands, sanitized surfaces and wiped everything down in hotel rooms. "I'm going to miss my friend," she said. Both Hildreth and Dawn confirmed that Shepperson was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a statement issued, Southwest spokesman Brandy King confirmed about the death of a Las Vegas-based employee, but denied to divulge any details. "We are heartbroken over the loss of our Southwest employee. Out of respect for the family, we do not have additional information to share," said King.
