Familys Covid 19 Heartbreak - Mum Died While There Were At Dads Funeral

[uk666]

Family's Covid - 19 Heartbreak - Mum Died While There Were At Dad's Funeral

John and Mary Boxer should have been celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary in the past week - marking 60 years of marriage. Their family had planned to hold a big party for all the family.

But they died of Covid-19 within days of each other.

The couple had been friends since childhood, growing up in the same part of Sunderland, in the north-east of England.

Elaine and her sister Glynis had been planning their parents' 60th anniversary. "We were thinking about booking a hall and have my brother-in-law, who is a singer, to perform," says Elaine. 

"We knew that my parents enjoyed his singing and would have loved to listen to him sing. But because of lockdown, we put our plans on hold."

On 10 April, John fell ill and was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital. Staff found nothing wrong with him and sent him home.

But on Easter Sunday he returned and the hospital ran Covid-19 tests, he tested positive.

John stayed in hospital, but his health deteriorated and on Friday 17 April - seven days after falling ill - he passed away.

Elaine says Mary, "She stopped eating, but we put it down to grief."

A few days before her dad's funeral, Elaine went to town while her sister went to see their mum.

"My sister rang me saying that I needed to come over straight away. Mum was distressed and her temperature had risen. She had no cough or other symptoms to do with Covid-19 but her oxygen levels were low."

Mary went into hospital that afternoon, where she tested positive for coronavirus. She was kept in hospital and the family was able to see her via a video call.

John's funeral was held on Saturday 2 - but only seven people could attend.

"After the funeral, we went back to my sister's. My brother-in-law checked his phone and saw there were missed calls. He rang the number and was put through to the hospital ward. He told my sister what the hospital said."

Mary had died.

"We both fell in each other's arms and started crying. We knew mum was poorly and due to her age, there wasn't much they could do. But it was a shock that it happened on the day of dad's funeral."

"There were tears and sadness. We rang around to let the family know. We also called the priest."

Mary's funeral was on 8 May. By that time, the rules on funeral attendance changed. Sixteen people were allowed at the funeral and it was played over the internet for friends and family.

"Mum and dad both have big families and I feel they were cheated from funerals they would have had," Elaine says.

"We need some closure," Elaine adds. "The small comfort we have is that they are together again - they were always together."