My Mom Died of COVID, I m Now Caring for My 5 Siblings Vanessa Perez On 2/13/21 at 5:34 AM EST
My siblings and I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona with our mom, and until last year we were a family of seven; at 25, I am the eldest and then Carlos is 23, Russvel is 20, Eduardo is 17, Robert is 15 and my little sister Melanie is 6. Our mom, Mayra Millan, was an essential worker at a local grocery store and had been working throughout the pandemic, so we think she came into contact with the COVID-19 virus while working.
On November 22, we started quarantining as a family and Mom then received her positive result on November 26. So, my siblings and I then got tested too and we all, except Robert, then tested positive for COVID-19.
Kevin Fogarty/Reuters
Her oldest daughter, 25-year-old Vanessa, is determined to keep the siblings together.
The US is experiencing record-high deaths from the virus.
Last fall, Vanessa Perez was worried about her mother, Mayra Millan.
Millan worked in a grocery store in order to provide for her six children, who ranged in age from 6 to 25. But Perez was worried that interacting with the public could leave Millan exposed to COVID-19. We were absolutely concerned because in our household she was the only essential worker and she was older, Perez told Good Morning America. My brother had just graduated from college in May and he was looking for employment so that he could provide for my mom and my mom wouldn t have to work during the pandemic.