‘A cruel, meaningless, death.’ Family of Sacramento COVID victim urges vigilance

Our family lost a loved one the day before Christmas Eve.

Frank Vargas died of COVID-19 in Sutter General Hospital’s intensive care unit on Dec. 23, about 20 minutes after being taken off his ventilator.

It was a cruel, meaningless, death. Frank was a devoted grandfather. He spoiled his grandchildren mercilessly. They called his house “Papa-Land” and it was always a fight to get them to leave.

He gave his little dog, Harvey, so many treats that the poor dog could hardly walk

He was a kind, funny, hard-working man. The kind of person you called whenever there was an emergency because you could count on him being there for you.

A thirty-year railroad man and a Vietnam Vet. He was 75, but he didn’t look it. We thought he’d be around forever. But all it took was three weeks of COVID-19 to put him in the grave.

We, his family, would like to make his death mean something, which is why I am speaking to you today.

We, his family, are urging everyone out there listening to please wear masks and practice social distancing.

To those of you who believe that COVID-19 is a hoax or, at best, exaggerated: You are wrong. It is real. We have talked to the overwhelmed nurses and doctors who did what they could to save our Frank. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.

To those of our leaders who say that COVID-19 is just a “nasty bug” little more deadly than the flu and who seem to think that it will go away if we ignore it, and who never bother mentioning masks or social distancing when they speak: please stop.

COVID-19 has now killed more Americans than World War II.

Please use your position of power to urge the people you represent to wear masks and practice social distancing. Do what you can to make sure the people you serve are safe.

To those of you we see not wearing masks in stores and at social events: Please wear a mask. Our Frank was extremely cautious. He always wore a mask and rarely left the house. But he did love to play the lotto and he went to the liquor store every day to buy a ticket. And that may have been all it took — another person in the store without a mask.

This virus is cruel. It is pitiless. It punishes almost everything we do that makes us human because almost everything we do as humans involves being around other people we love and cherish.

But it will take more lives in a cruel, awful way unless we, all of us, do what we can to slow down its spread.

Frank loved Frank Sinatra.

When we drove home after watching him die, the first thing we heard on the radio was Sinatra singing “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas.”

And we heard Sinatra sing these words:

“Through the years we all will be together. If the fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”

We wondered if it was our Frank trying to tell us something.

I’d like to play that song for you now and I ask you again:

Please take care of yourself. Please wear a mask so you can take care of others.