On Nov. 6, they tested positive for coronavirus, after a trip to California to attend his uncle’s funeral, his brother Daniel Trevino told CNN.
Adelita died of the virus on November 29 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. Her brother died a week later at Spectrum Health Hospital in Butterworth, hours after her sister’s funeral, her sister Jesusa Vela said.
“I don’t wish it on anyone,” Trevino said. “My sister was 39 and my brother was 35. Quite young. They had a lot of life left. And unfortunately their lives were cut short because of the virus.”
According to Vela, Adelita had all the symptoms of the virus, from fevers to body aches. She was admitted to the hospital the same day she tested positive and never left, Vela said.
His brother, Nicolas, was admitted the next day and sent home in quarantine. He returned to the hospital a week later as his condition began to decline, Vela told CNN.
The brother and sister were residents of Hartford, Michigan. They both raised children alone as single parents, with a total of 11 children between the two.
“They were always at home with each other,” Vela said. “They really enjoyed making barbecues. Lita was always there. They barbeque almost every weekend. They did a lot of things together.”
Vela says the two were silly and funny as long as they were together. Above all, they loved their children and devoted themselves to their families.
Unable to visit their loved ones personally due to hospital guidelines during the pandemic, the family spoke to each sibling via video calls and prayed about them as they fought the virus through fans and life support.
The family thanks the church community for supporting them in a difficult time. They hope their story can serve as a cautionary tale for families who are thinking of getting together for a vacation and encouraging others to follow public health guidelines.
“The mask is temporary,” Trevino said. “When you lose someone, they won’t come back.”