According to a new report, three members of a Southern California family died of COVID-19 in as many weeks.
Fabian Levario, 53, nicknamed Chino, never revealed the illness he had until he had to go to the hospital on November 23, his daughter, Valerie Levario, told KABC.
“It was hard for him to breathe,” Valerie told the network. “He had a hard time talking.”
Chino, who underwent a kidney transplant 16 years ago, died two weeks later, his daughter said.
He was an independent handyman who also played in a Long Beach band for 20 years, according to Valerie, who said he was passionate about playing music and spending time with his family.
While planning the funeral, Chino’s sister, Deborah, fell ill with pneumonia, according to the report.
“I had my grandmother call 911 to take her to the hospital just in case,” Valerie told the network.
A blood test found that Deborah had COVID antibodies, indicating that she had also been infected, according to Valerie. He later died.
And six days later, Deborah’s husband, Armando Padilla, also died from the virus. According to Valerie, she had no underlying health issues.
Deborah and Armando left behind an eight-year-old son, Armando Jr. Now her grandmother cares.
Valerie said she struggles to cope with all three losses. It is unclear how the family, who did not gather and always wore masks, became infected.
“It’s very impactful and I try to process it and I try to understand why,” he said.
Now, Valerie encourages everyone to take the virus seriously and wear masks.
“Don’t be selfish,” he said. “People die for it and it’s not fair.”