Marked by COVID Facebook page Mark Urquiza.
Mark Urquiza was an Arizona man who died of COVID-19, and his obituary contains an unusual line in which his family calls out “careless” politicians for not taking the virus seriously enough.
“Mark, like so many others, should not have died from COVID-19,” his obituary says. “His death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of this crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk.”
In interviews, Urquiza’s daughter, Kristin Urquiza, made it clear she’s upset by the way in which Arizona’s governor, Doug Ducey, and President Donald Trump have handled the COVID-19 crisis, telling The Washington Post, “Despite all of the effort that I had made to try to keep my parents safe, I couldn’t compete with the governor’s office and I couldn’t compete with the Trump administration.” Her father had started going out again because of messaging from the governor’s office and Trump that it was OK, she told the newspaper.
The obituary was first published in the Arizona Republic in early July. According to The Washington Post, Urquiza was a “Mexican American resident of Phoenix who worked in manufacturing.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Urquiza’s Daughter & Daughter-in-Law Are Building a COVID-19 Awareness Campaign
According to the obituary, Urquiza’s family isn’t just complaining about it, they’re trying to actively do something about it.
“Mark’s daughter Kristin Danielle and daughter-in-law Christine are channeling our sadness and rage into building an awareness campaign so fewer families are forced to endure this,” the obit says.
“We honor Mark’s life by continuing this fight for others, even in these darkest moments. Kristin Danielle will be starting an Ofrenda, an altar with pictures of those lost to COVID-19, outside the Arizona State Capitol building on Wednesday evening at 4:30. All are welcome to bring pictures of their loved ones who are suffering from COVID or who have passed. For more information follow @MarkedByCovid on Facebook.”
That page contains photos and memories of Urquiza.
2. Urquiza, Who Was Nicknamed ‘Black Jack,’ Was a Former State Track Champion Without Pre-existing Conditions
According to the daughter’s Facebook page, Urquiza, who was often called “Black Jack” by his friends and family, “was a lover of nature, the night sky, politics, and was often the life of the party. He was a friend, a father, and a joker with a loved sense of humor. He was also a former 400-meter dash state champion without any known underlying conditions known to be risk factors for COVID-19 patients. And Mark believed it was safe to resume his normal activities in May when Governor Doug Ducey allowed the stay at home order to expire.”
Urquiza “started experiencing severe COVID symptoms approximately three weeks after the stay-at-home order was lifted, and on June 30th, 2020, he was one of 88 Arizonans who died of COVID-19,” his daughter wrote.
“Thousands more are still at risk. We know we aren’t alone in our loss, grief, and anger,” the page says.
3. Urquiza’s Daughter Wrote a Letter Calling Out the Governor
According to CNN, Urquiza’s daughter also wrote a letter to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey criticizing him for his COVID-19 response.
She wrote:
I write to invite you to the burial of my father, Mark Anthony Urquiza. He was one of the 88 Arizonans who died on June 30, 2020 from COVID-19. Despite having a huge family and many friends he died alone with an ICU nurse holding his hand. My father contracted the virus during the period when you forbade local governments from implementing their own safety measures, such as mandating the wearing of masks, to protect the public from the spread of COVID-19 through Executive Order 2020-36. As a master of public affairs, I can attest that poor policy and terrible leadership was responsible for his death.
CNN reported that there is not a statewide mask requirement in Arizona, although Ducey allowed mayors to come up with their own.
A spokesman for Ducey responded to the Washington Post, “Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Mark Anthony Urquiza. We know nothing can fully alleviate the pain associated with his loss, and every loss from this virus is tragic.”
The Post reported that the daughter also criticizes President Donald Trump for his response to COVID-19, although the obituary doesn’t mention any politicians by name.
4. Urquiza Was Known for His ‘Infectious Energy’ & ‘Strong Will’
“Mark was known for his infectious energy, strong will, and yes, stubbornness,” the obit says.
It says he “met his wife Brenda at Tolleson Union High School. They welcomed their only child Kristin Danielle in 1981. The family loved their annual summer vacations to California where Kristin now lives.”
The Post reported that Urquiza “rarely left the house while Arizona’s stay-at-home order was in place except to do his job, which was deemed essential.” However, he started “to go out with friends” when the governor and Trump said “people could safely resume their normal lives,” the newspaper reported.
5. COVID-19 Cases Have Increased in Arizona in Recent Weeks
Arizona is one of the states where COVID-19 is on the rise. You can see the state’s data dashboard for COVID-19 here.
There have been 2,245 deaths from COVID in Arizona as of July 13, and the state’s chart shows deaths rose in late June and early July in the state.
State of ArizonaCOVID statistics on deaths as of July 13
The category labeled by the state “Hispanic or Latino” accounts for 23 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Arizona, although demographics aren’t known for half of deaths. The number of cases also exploded in Arizona in late June, although it’s tapered off somewhat since then.
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