A few weeks ago, Senator Tony Vargas and his wife, Lauren Micek Vargas, posted a public video with information about the condition of his parents, Lidia and Antonio Vargas, who had both been diagnosed with coronavirus. Lidia (71) and Antonio (72), who immigrated to the United States from Peru in the 1970’s, live in Long Island, NY where Senator Vargas grew up. His mother was able to remain quarantined at home and has since recovered.

His father, with more severe symptoms, became a patient at an intensive care unit at a local hospital. Antonio was in critical condition and on a ventilator for 31 days until he passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 4:17 a.m. ET.

“My father has always been a source of quiet strength for our family. He has always been a fighter and, for the last month, fought for his life, to overcome this disease. Words cannot describe what this loss means for me, my mother and brothers, and all of our family and friends here in the U.S. and in Peru,” said Vargas.

Senator Vargas would like to remind the public that COVID-19 cases in Nebraska are continuing to rise and that we all must continue to be cautious, especially for our most vulnerable populations. “This is deeply personal for me. I don’t want another family to go through what we are experiencing right now. 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.”

“And to all our elected, community, public health, and medical leaders across the state, please take every precaution and step to protect the health and well-being of Nebraska’s working families, especially the workers on our front lines, including healthcare professionals and food processing and meatpacking plant workers.”