One of the worst things about Covid-19 is that it robs you of the only consolation you have when it takes away one of your loved ones: saying goodbye.
Due to the highly infectious nature of the virus, family members are not allowed to visit their dying loved ones, leaving Covid-19 patients all alone in their last moments.
As bad as that is, at least family members are aware of their loved one’s critical condition, and can prepare themselves for the worst.
But what if you’re unaware that your loved one is infected at all?
Chinese National Who Died Due to COVID-19 in S’pore Never Told His Family That He Was Infected
Like many migrant workers, 41-year-old Wu Liyou used to make a video call to his family back home every day to stay in touch.
The Chinese national, who had been working in Singapore for 10 years, had been doing this since April.
But last Thursday (4 June), his family in Feidong county in Anhui province received a call from Wu’s employer instead.
They were told that Wu had died.
The family was shocked because they had no idea that Wu was even sick, let alone infected with the coronavirus.
Remember that 41-year-old Covid-19 patient who died two weeks after being discharged? That was Wu.
According to The Straits Times, Wu died of massive pulmonary thromboembolism following his infection.
Knew The Infection Was Widespread In Dormitories
The family was aware that the infection was widespread among migrant workers in dormitories where Wu lived, but Wu never told them he had been infected.
He did, however, tell his family that he had been moved to different locations to be quarantined.
On his last day, Wu was being quarantined on a cruise ship, where he called his family and even asked about another family member in China who was sick.
This would be the last time Wu’s family would see him; he collapsed the next day on the cruise ship.
Looked Healthy
Speaking to The Straits Times, Wu’s son, Feixiang, said his father looked healthy in all their video conversations.
“My father was very healthy when he left China, but now he’s coming home in an urn”, said Fexiang.
“My mother has been in a daze for the past few days, none of us can believe it,” he said.
Feixiang said that they’ve not yet informed Wu’s parents of their son’s death because they’re afraid they may not be able to handle the tragic news.
“There is no greater tragedy than to have parents send off their child,” he said.
Financial Issues
Being the breadwinner of the family, Wu was the one paying the family’s bills. He saved most of his salary as a metal worker and sent home $2000 every month.
Wu was also clearing some of the family’s debts; his wife had undergone surgery to remove a tumour in her uterus and had to borrow money to pay the medical bills.
Now, these expenses will fall to 22-year-old Feixiang, who is the elder of two sons.
Feixiang, who will have to rely on his pay as a hairstylist, is now worried about the family’s finances.
His younger brother is only 12-years-old and still in school.
Wu’s employer said they would give the family a small sum of money for this difficult period, and a group of Chinese nationals in Singapore are also raising funds for Wu’s family.
“Didn’t Have a Chance to Say Goodbye”
Feixiang said he always believed that his father would come home after retiring to see his children grow up.
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“But now, he can no longer watch us grow, witness our graduation ceremonies and our weddings, or even carry his grandchildren,” he said.
“We didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to him.”
Feixiang said the family’s priority now is to make sure that his father’s ashes are laid to rest in their hometown in Anhui.
But few flights are operational these days due to the coronavirus outbreak, so they might have to wait for a while.
Wu’s heartbreaking story goes to show that we should always cherish our loved ones and never take them for granted because we never know when they’ll be taken away from us.
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