On January 17, 2022, I lost my brother, Michael, to COVID. My brother, sister, and I all shared an apartment, and we all got sick at the same time. While my sister and I were able to recover from our symptoms, my brother suffered from extreme shortness of breath that made it very difficult for him to breathe. We had him taken to the ER one night, but they dispatched him within a matter of hours after giving him some ibuprofen and an IV. They confirmed that he tested positive for COVID, but they said that there was nothing more that they could do for him and that COVID was something he needed to get through on his own. I did my best to tend to his care by bringing him food and ensuring he had medicine, but it was still difficult for him to recover. Five days after being dispatched from the ER, I found my brother lying on the futon in the living room downstairs, and he had stopped breathing. I immediately called 911. In 3 minutes, the police came. In 15 minutes, the police confirmed that my brother had passed. In 30 minutes, my sister and I were told to contact the mortuary to start arranging my brother's funeral.

 

My brother was the sunshine to my life. Whenever he was in the room, his presence just made everything better. He was kind, caring, generous, and the funniest person I've ever known. My sister and I saw him as a father figure because of how much he provided for us and how he always tried to make us feel at home. He would tell us that it was his dream to start his own family and raise kids one day, so it saddens me that his journey came to an end unexpectedly at only 33 years old.

 

Life has been difficult without my brother. My family and I miss him so much, and we would give anything to get to talk to him again. But we're taking things day by day, and we're slowly finding peace as we progress on arranging his funeral. Unfortunately, my family was not financially prepared for all the funeral costs because of Michael's unexpected passing. We're trying our best to make ends meet in any way possible. If you would like to donate to Michael's funeral fund, it would mean the absolute world to my family and me. Anything at all helps.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I love you. Please stay safe and hold your loved ones close.