It was on December 26 that 55-year-old Darlene Reynolds woke up with a ticklish tickle in her throat. This was the day before she planned to bring relatives from Canada over for a holiday gathering.
“I didn’t have a fever because I kept checking it – no fever, no fever, no fever. I said, ‘I’ll keep my distance since I have a tiny cough,’” Reynolds said.
The next day, relatives came for the party. Soon, she said, people started to get sick.
“So we were sick, but we didn’t know we had COVID. We could have had the flu, but it was scary,” Reynolds said. “We got tested and we tested positive. And then my husband tested positive the next day. And then (my daughter) got sick and she tested positive and my son tested positive.”
A total of 18 family members between the ages of one and 62 became ill with the virus.
Reynolds’ son and husband, Stephen, ended up in the hospital, where he has spent the past nine days.
“He’s going in the right direction. He needs oxygen when he gets home,” said Reynolds’ daughter Joy Purdie.
Meanwhile, Stephen’s company, called Mini Movers, was sidelined when their truck broke down and now they have no income.
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Lisa Riggin of J. Riggin Painting saw the story on Facebook and decided to step in.
“The truck has been down for a month and they have no income and I just don’t want them to lose their home or business,” said Riggin, who set up Venmo and PayPal accounts on her Facebook to raise money for the family. .
“People donate, not as much as I’d like, but people respond. We had a guy donating $ 500 last night. He doesn’t even know me or her,” said Riggin.
So far, Riggin has raised $ 4,000 for the Reynolds who are always grateful for any help they can get.
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