by Finey_McFine » Wed Dec 02, 2020 10:29 pm
*Warning* Depressing, long entry and with a hard dose of reality.
I learned that a friend’s father passed away today from COVID.
This friend, (N), is a member of our bowling league. Through our group of friends my wife and I have hung out with N and her wife at several parties, nights out, dinners and of course bowling. We became friends on social media, Facebook to be more specific, and learned more about each other’s lives. N is a nurse, she loves animals and takes home every stray she finds. When another friend’s elderly mother developed a bed sore, N drove 30 miles out of her way to check on the woman 3x a week. She cares deeply and has a big heart.
It was a few weeks into our “Facebook friendship” when I discovered our political and social opinions were diametrically opposed to each other. N is a hardcore Trumper.
I did my best to steer clear of her hateful rhetoric and posts praising Trump and buying into conspiracy after conspiracy, I even blocked her posts from my feed so I would not be temped to argue with her. She, however, did everything she could to get under my skin and reacted aggressively towards anyone who had an opposing view. Rational discussion was not on her radar. Things became heated online and I asked her to please stop. She didn’t, of course, and I eventually unfriended her when she suggested anyone opposed to Trump was a “complete and total moron.”
Of course having to see her every week in our bowling league made for an awkward situation. So I nipped it in the bud and told her, no hard feelings, we’re just not compatible online and left it at that.
Why am I rambling with all this backstory? Because, in keeping with the rabid Trump supporter stereotype...she was/is a hardcore anti-masker. While I don’t know all the details behind how her father contracted the virus, I can’t help but speculate that her rhetoric about not following the basic health guidelines had something to do with it. He did not agree with her politically, but when a health professional you are close to gives you advice, you tend to listen.
Her father was super and he and N were incredibly close. She was a true Daddy’s girl. They bowled in 2 other leagues together and he frequently came to watch her bowl in our league as well. He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and he spent 5 weeks in the hospital battling the virus. He died alone, in the ICU on a ventilator. The same horrible story repeating itself over and over and over again.
So, when I saw the record number of COVID deaths today, I couldn’t help but think how he was one of them. How today he became a statistic; a faceless number on an ever growing chart. And how it is entirely possible his death was directly attributed to the rhetoric and falsehoods perpetuated by his own daughter, whom he loved dearly above all others.
Rest In Peace J, you will not be forgotten.
