John Mesa was 16 years old when his dad was murdered in a paid hit ordered on the wealthy native of the United States territory of Guam.
More than four decades later, John’s daughter, Alexandria, now nearly the exact same age, has lost her dad from another unexpected lethal blow. John, 60, died Dec. 6 at a hospital in Colorado Springs from complications of COVID-19.
The circumstances may be worlds apart, but today’s killer leaves behind just as raw and gut-wrenching sorrow.
“It’s such a weird coincidence, with totally different reasons, but the loss is still so hard,” said Vern, John’s wife of 18 years.
ABOUT THE SERIES
With its Lives Lost series, The Gazette is remembering those whose lives were cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the impact of the pandemic is felt in other ways, too. With Lives Left Behind, The Gazette is profiling those who have lost not their lives but their livelihoods, who have been forced to put their dreams on hold or struggled to keep their businesses afloat as the coronavirus keeps its grip on the world.
John Mesa was 16 years old when his dad was murdered in a paid hit ordered on the wealthy native of the United States territory of Guam.