A 30-year-old New Jersey man with Down syndrome has succumbed to coronavirus on his birthday, just nine days after his mother passed away from the virus.
Thomas Martins passed away on April 6, after losing his mother, 55-year-old Carolyn Martins-Reitz, on March 28 nj.com reported.
“The speed that the disease developed was mind-blowing,” Rudy Reitz, Martins-Reitz’s husband and Thomas’ stepdad told the nj.com. “Everybody always says the same thing. They all say, ‘I can’t imagine what you’re going through.’ And ironically enough, neither can I. It’s indescribable.”
Just hours before he passed away, around 20 classmates from the special needs school Martins attended gave him a virtual birthday party in his hospital room.
“The nurses brought the screen into the room, and probably 20 people all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him with a cake,” Reitz said. “He passed away not long after that, so one of the last things his subconscious got to hear was people singing him ‘Happy Birthday.’
