My uncle called COVID-19 a ‘hoax.’ He’s quiet now that my grandfather is dying of it
Just before the 2020 election, my uncle had a big argument with my grandfather.
To my grandfather’s shock and horror, my uncle insisted that the coronavirus was no worse than the flu. He falsely claimed the death toll was inflated — all a hoax designed to deprive Americans of our freedom and impose far-reaching tyranny.
Three months later, both my grandparents are struggling for their lives against the virus.
We are slowly losing my grandfather to the relentless disease. With each day his voice grows fainter, his breathing more strained. At first, he could talk on the phone. Now, he just listens to our words of encouragement, holding the phone to his ear in an empty hospital room.
Our hope fades as his blood-oxygen saturation levels drop.
Two floors above him in the same hospital, the virus has left my grandmother agitated and confused. She demands to see her husband. Tubes and IVs keep her alive. If she survives, she will likely need constant care for months to come. There are no words to describe the horror of losing your loved ones this way.
We haven’t heard much from my uncle since the diagnosis.
He is an avid consumer of conspiracy theories, regaling us with the latest updates from Tucker Carlson and Fox News. In a YouTube video he recently shared, the presenter advocated abandoning masks and social distancing as a form of protest. On Facebook, my uncle posted a “satirical” piece comparing lockdowns to military dictatorship.
Oh, and he doesn’t believe in vaccines.
In contrast, my grandfather is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. From the start of the pandemic he’s done everything he could to stop the spread, even if it meant skipping church.
But some of those around him weren’t as cautious. They put their own ignorance and politics ahead of public health. Now, we could lose my grandfather to this virus.
Before the virus, he was a healthy octogenarian with no serious pre-existing conditions. He had an active social life and lived for his grandkids. He was looking forward to watching them grow.
In his younger years, he served as a justice of the peace in a small town in upstate New York, hearing cases on drunk driving, stray dogs and other neighborhood disputes. The only thing more important to him than his own family was serving others in the community.
In one of our last conversations, he reminded me of the importance of honesty. It was a quality he valued above all else.
The truth is that COVID-19 has taken more than 320,000 American lives. We are dealing with a deadly disease, not some left-wing conspiracy.
Life would be a lot easier if the conspiracy theories were true. Thousands of families would have been spared the heartbreak that has now befallen mine.
In the coming months, we can choose to embrace denial, behave irresponsibly and find comfort in convenient lies. Or we can be like my grandfather and act responsibly to protect our communities — especially the elderly and the most vulnerable among us.
Even if a vaccine is successfully distributed as Donald Trump leaves office, it won’t bring back the thousands of lives lost due to his lies and incompetence.
Please stay home this Christmas. Please don’t travel or hold gatherings. It will save lives, including the lives of those you love the most.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 9:13 AM with the headline "My uncle called COVID-19 a ‘hoax.’ He’s quiet now that my grandfather is dying of it."