Millions of families all around the world have lost their loved ones in the past few months of the Coronavirus pandemic. A four-year-old kid from the hard-hit state of Texas, U.S. is one of those children who lost his parents due to COVID-19. At an age when he was supposed to make amazing childhood memories along with his parents, Raiden Gonzalez first lost his father and then mother.
His father Adan died of COVID-19 in June after he contracted the virus while training at a new job. The father of the young kid was hospitalized in San Antonio on June 9 about a week after testing positive for the virus but he could not beat the virus and died at the age of 33.
Raiden's mother Mariah died suddenly on October 5 at the age of 29. As reported, she had only started to feel sick just hours before her death. As per Raiden's great-aunt, Margie Bryant, "She was gone within 12 hours." The family was informed only days after her death that Mariah had been tested positive for the Coronavirus caused disease.
'What Do I Tell Him?'
Raiden's grandmother Rozie Salinas said the kid has been left behind alone and helpless. "I mean, what do I tell him? I just told him that they're now angels watching over us and protecting us," she said.
Raiden's fifth birthday is in November, and the family members are hoping to coordinate a drive-by parade to make a smile on his face. He has been very much upset as his parents are not there to celebrate his birthday with him, said Raiden's great-aunt Bryant.
"We've lost two people now to COVID-19 and I can't emphasize enough the severity, the seriousness, and the hurt that this pandemic can cause, so wear your mask, be safe," said Bryant. Another family member said, "it is not a joke. It is not fake news", what left now is the "painful sufferings" of the existing family members and especially the four-year-old kid.
Texas Coronavirus Situation Is Worse
Last week the Coronavirus infection rates in Texas hit record highs with the number of daily cases reaching higher since the beginning of the pandemic and the state also became the first in the US to report over one million COVID-19 cases. As reported, hospitals are noticing more COVID-19 patients than ever.
Chief Medical Officer of Northwest Texas Hospital Dr. Brian Weiss said, "The numbers in the hospital are scary. As we gain patients, we're losing staff. Bad combination." The Amarillo hospital is suffering from an employee shortage because of the exposure to coronavirus among staff members. Reports say more than 100 staff members in this hospital alone are in quarantine due to suspected exposure.
Meanwhile, thousands of people in Texas lined up for groceries at a food bank distribution event in Dallas last weekend, while the organizers said that the pandemic has increased the need in the city. A spokesperson from North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) said that the organization distributed over 600,000 pounds of food for about 25,000 people on Saturday, November 14.
As of now, Texas has reported over 1.09 million Coronavirus cases and more than 20,000 deaths due to COVID-19 in the state.
