One of our co-workers, and more importantly one of our friends, lost someone really special to them in a COVID battle on August 27, 2021. None of us were lucky enough to meet the man they called PawPaw but we have heard so many stories and seen pictures of the joy he brought to his family. He loved strongly and supported those around him. He leaves behind his wife, 2 sons, 2 daughters and 19 grandchildren. 

Pawpaw, his wife and son all caught COVID around the same time, his wife and son became ill but didn’t require hospitalization. After seeing how sick they got, pawpaw wasn’t going to just sit around and feel crummy so he continued to be active, washing his cars and working around his property in hopes that he could work the illness out. Unfortunately one night his cough got the best of him and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. His wife convinced him to go to the hospital …. Unfortunately he never came home despite being fully vaccinated. After being in the hospital for 2 weeks, his oxygen levels still weren’t improving and they moved him to the ICU and placed him on a ventilator. Unfortunately his kidneys shut down and stopped working. He was given 24-48 hours to live. He was unable to speak and was not comfortable. The Gus family made arrangements to have him be sent home on hospice in hopes that he would have a chance to see some family since ICU visitation was limited due to Covid protocols. Unfortunately, Pawpaw Never made it home leaving the family in complete shock and at a loss on what to do next. In addition to the huge hole his loss has left in the family, they are also trying to navigate how to pay for all the medical bills and funeral expenses as he was the sole provider for his family and recently lost coverage of life insurance and health insurance. Please help our dear friend and her family during this unimaginable time. Please consider a donation, even a small amount, to help to cover hospital bills and funeral expenses. If you are unable to donate please say a prayer for them as they navigate this new way of life. RIP Pawpaw.