Michael Freedy, a Nevada man with five children, died just days after texting his fiancée from the hospital.
Freedy and Jessica DuPreez were on vacation with the five kids, ages 17, 10, 7, 6, and 17 months, in sunny San Diego. After returning, Freedy admitted himself to the hospital for what he thought was a severe sunburn.
Unfortunately, he tested positive for COVID-19.
One of the last texts Freedy sent to his fiancée said:
"I should have gotten the damn vaccine."
'I should have gotten the damn vaccine,' Las Vegas father of 5 who later died of COVID texts from ho youtu.be
In the hospital, they learned Freedy had pneumonia in both lungs and his oxygen levels were low. Eventually, he needed to be sedated and put on a ventilator, which he fought.
According to their GoFundMe page, DuPreez had spoken to the infectious disease doctor:
"I asked if he had anything positive to tell me and he flat out said no."
Jessica DuPreez said to KKVU-TV:
"He is only 39."
"Our babies now don't have a dad."
"You can't say I am young and it won't affect me because it will."
Freedy and DuPreez did plan to get vaccinated.
"We wanted to wait just one year from the release to see what effects people had, but there was never any intention to not get it."
But since Freedy's passing, she's changed her mind.
She told CNN in an interview:
"Everybody can have a bad reaction to any vaccine throughout history but I would take a bad reaction to the vaccine over having to bury my husband."
Since this story came out, many are sharing it to persuade unvaccinated folks to get the shot.
DuPreez urged those who read her story:
"Hug your loved ones. Because it turned so fast."
"And I would give practically anything to hear Mike say my name and hug me and be able to tell him I love him more than ever."
DuPreez hopes that other families will get the vaccination and take COVID-19 seriously.
Their GoFundMe is almost to its goal if you would like to contribute. The funds will help cover bills DuPreez cannot afford as a newly single mom.
@GregAbbott_TX/X
