When I was a kid, I thought that my parents were immortal and always right. As I got older, I began to see that not only were they mortal, but they were as prone to making mistakes as anyone is.
Since Covid-19 entered this country last spring, more than half a million Americans lost their lives. Among these is a couple from Texas, Lydia and Lawrence Rodriguez. Before they were hospitalized, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were among those who were fervently against the vaccine. They left behind four children under the age of twenty, three of who are above the age range in which they can receive the shot.
Speaking to her sister for the last time, Mrs. Rodriguez made the following request:
“Please make sure my kids get vaccinated,”
99.9% of these deaths were preventable. My heart breaks not just for their children, but for every child in this country who has lost a parent, grandparent, or other relation. There is no logical reason for these deaths, except for stubbornness or stupidity. Mr. and Mrs. Rodriquez were stubborn. Radio host Phil Valentine was stupid. He believed that the virus and the toll it was taking was exaggerated.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I hate to speak ill of the dead, especially in this circumstance. But it makes me angry that there were and continue to be plenty of opportunities to stop this disease in its tracks. But there are many who refuse to act to not just save their lives, but the lives of the people around them.
May the memory of everyone who we have lost or will lose to Covid be a blessing.
Writergurlny 