Listen To This Story
State Sen. Tony Vargas' father Antonio died early Wednesday after a month in critical condition with COVID-19, according to a statement from the senator's office.
The 72-year-old was on a ventilator for 31 days in his hometown of Long Island, NY. His wife and Sen. Vargas' mother also contracted COVID-19 but was able to quarantine at home.
"This is deeply personal for me. I don’t want another family to go through what we are experiencing right now," Sen. Vargas said in a statement. "Please, if you can, continue to stay home, wash your hands frequently, practice social distancing and wear a mask in public. If you have symptoms, call a healthcare provider and get tested right away. By doing this, we have the opportunity to prevent this tragedy for others and stop this virus from spreading even further."
Vargas also urges all community leaders to take every precaution to protect public health, especially for "the workers on our front lines, including healthcare professionals and food processing and meatpacking plant workers."
Watch: Daily News Update, April 29