Two Houston, Texas, brothers are now orphans after both their parents died within weeks of each other following COVID-19 diagnoses.
Brothers Isaiah Garcia, 14, and 11-year-old Nathan Garcia lost both their mother and their father in July.
Their parents had both contracted COVID-19, news station KTRK reported. Naomi Esquivel, 39, died of the illness on July 2, while her husband, Carlos, 44, died on July 17 of oxygen deprivation after being hospitalized for kidney failure.
Both parents had underlying health conditions and died without their family near them due to the restrictions around coronavirus.
Isaiah told KTRK he didn’t get to say goodbye to his mother or his father, “and that’s what hurt me the most right now.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Isaiah & Nathan Attended Their Mother’s Funeral Earlier in July
This was heartbreaking. Their parents died two weeks apart.
t.co/pa2POcoPCu #abc13
Isaiah told KTRK that he thought standing over his mother’s body at her funeral was the hardest thing he would do.
Isaiah and Nathan attended the funeral with their father, who was recovering from COVID-19 when he experienced kidney failure and ended up in the hospital, KTRK reported. He was in the hospital for only a day when he died.
Isaiah told KTRK losing both parents was “tragic.”
His uncle, Jacob Mendoza, who has four children, will now take care of the boys, KTRK reported. Mendoza explained that Carlos Garcia had just spoken to his children before he died.
Discussing raising the boys, he said, “I love them with all my heart and I know this is what their parents would’ve wanted, was for me take them in,” according to KTRK.
“At least, since he [my father] passed, we get to be with our family,” Isaiah said in the interview. “We don’t have to go to an orphanage or anything. I’d rather be here than anywhere else right now.”
Esquivel’s mother, Rita Marquez-Mendoza, told KTRK, “We’re Christian people, and we accept the will of God, and we know that if this was his will, that he’s going to guide us through it.”
A GoFundMe Was Established for the Boys
GoFundMe
The family set up a GoFundMe to assist with the boys’ future expenses. So far nearly $60,000 has been raised.
Fundraiser organizer Daniel Esquivel wrote:
On July 17, 2020 Carlos Garcia (a beloved father) passed away due to oxygen deprivation he was found unresponsive and after many attempts the hospital staff could not bring him back.
He was a great person and had the most love for his boys Nathan and Isaiah.
Nathan and Isaiah recently suffered a tragedy on July 2, 2020 when their Mother passed away due to Covid-19, now with the passing of their father they are left with no parents.
(Which is so heartbreaking)The money being raised will be for their living expenses and anything they may need.
This Go Fund Me was originally created for Funeral Expenses for Carlos however, at the last minute we received a very generous donation that helped pay for all Funeral Expenses! Thank God !I just want to thank each and everyone of you in advance and tell you that the family greatly appreciates you in our time of sorrow.
Carlos Garcia’s funeral will be held on July 29 at The Promise Church of Houston, KTRK reported.
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