DETROIT – Imagine losing two people to coronavirus (COVID-19) and then finding out that you and others in your family are infected.
“We thought that he had a real bad stomach virus,” Keith Ivory Gambrell said.
He said his ongoing nightmare began in April, when his grandfather got sick.
“Two days later we get the call that he tested positive for coronavirus,” Gambrell said.
His grandfather died.
“Prior to his passing, my father started showing signs of the virus as well. He had the bad, dry cough. He had a fever and could not breathe,” Gambrell said.
Gambrell’s father also died because of coronavirus. Then his mother started showing symptoms. Gambrell believes his family was rerouted several times because of their race.
“Her temperature was 103.1 at Beaumont. The lady looks at her and goes, ‘Ma’am, you more than likely have the virus but there’s nothing we can do for you. Just go home. Here’s a piece of paper. Isolate yourself and act as if you’ve got the virus,'" Gambrell said.
After getting the run around at several different hospitals, Gambrell’s mother was officially diagnosed. She’s still battling coronavirus. Other family members are battling coronavirus too.
“Me, my brother Tony, my brother Ross -- all tested positive for the virus. Only symptoms I have is no sense of smell or taste. Can’t smell or taste anything,” Gambrell said.
The whole family is pushing for those who have lost their lives.
“They weren’t just coronavirus patients. They were great human beings that should still be here if they received the proper medical attention when they could have,” Gambrell said.
Beaumont hospital released the following statement:
“COVID-19 is hitting Southeastern Michigan particularly hard. As patients come to Beaumont for care during this extraordinary time, we are doing all we can to evaluate, triage and care for patients based on the information we know at the time. When making care decisions, we do not discriminate against anyone based upon their gender, race or any other factor. We grieve the loss of any patient to COVID-19 or any other illness.”