He loved to get his family together, Ms. Flores said. And thats what took him.<\/p>\n
My familys encounter with the virus started in the last week of June, when my 17-year-old nephew, who mistook his virus symptoms for strep, joined my 66-year-old mother, 69-year-old father, two sisters and a brother-in-law on a medical road trip to Houston, where my mother had scheduled a mammogram.<\/p>\n
Hablas espaol? To read more of our stories in Spanish, subscribe to our newsletter El Times.<\/p>\n
On their way back to the Valley, they visited relatives in Galveston. After Fathers Day, about a dozen relatives who had met one another during the trip began describing debilitating headaches, body chills, fever and trouble breathing, all classic Covid-19 symptoms.<\/p>\n
The Contreras family was in a similar situation. They gathered for their festive pachanga on June 1, dancing to mariachi music, sharing family stories and savoring classic Mexican barbecue.<\/p>\n
Because they kept it small, they thought they were doing the right thing, said Ms. Flores, who stayed home because she worried about the virus.<\/p>\n
It only took a few days for Mr. Contreras to develop a severe respiratory illness. Two of his sons soon joined him in the hospital with difficulty breathing. Soon uncles, aunts and cousins also fell ill.<\/p>\n
Ms. Flores told me that when she heard her grandfathers brain was bleeding, she rushed to the hospital and found him unconscious and connected to several tubes.<\/p>\n
Your gera is here, she whispered, using the nickname he had given her as a child, alluding to her light complexion.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
See the article here:<\/p>\n
I Went Home to Texas to Cover the Virus. Then My Family Got It. - The New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" He loved to get his family together, Ms. Flores said. Continue reading