Arnold Herrera died Sunday at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. His relatives said he had no underlying condition they knew, and they remain stunned by how quickly his condition worsens.
Herrera was an assistant for whom the sky was the limit, said his brother, Pablo Portilla.
“A lot of energy, just …” I’ll do it because I’ll do it, “because I can do it. That attitude” I can, “he said.
RELATED: The couple dies of COVID days before Christmas after a short family visit
Arnold’s brother said his younger brother never saw a problem he didn’t try to fix, including in the garage, where he worked with cars to make a living.
But on Saturday, Herrera’s donor spirit was taken over by COVID-19.
“I kept praying for him to get better because I knew he was always strong,” Portilla said. “It wasn’t in God’s plan.”
Pablo said Arnold was diagnosed last week and was recovering at home, but his condition worsened hours after the new year sounded.
“He told us‘ Happy New Year ’and unfortunately then had complications a full day,” Portilla said. “He was in pain and we took him to the hospital, and that’s it.”
RELATED: A teenager dies of COVID-19 days after diagnosis, the family says
Arnold played guitar at his church and graduated from Benito Juarez High School in Chicago, where he was active in the ROTC junior program.
His death comes with a warning that his family hopes they will consider others.
“It doesn’t discriminate age. It just happens. And we should all be careful. We shouldn’t think, ‘Oh, yeah, because I’m young, it won’t happen to me’ like no, ‘” Portilla said.
Arnold Herrera would have turned 20 in March. Records show that he is the eleventh person in Illinois under the age of 20 to die from COVID-19.
Pablo Portilla accepts donations in memory of his brother to GoFundMe.
Copyright © 2021 WTVD-TV. All rights reserved.