An elderly supporter who trusted President Donald Trump on the coronavirus has died from the illness, according to the man's family.
Juan Ciprian refused to wear a face mask because he believed the president's assurances about the risk from the potentially deadly virus, the 81-year-old's family members told the Boston Globe.
"He was the only one that wasn’t complying," said Ciprian's granddaughter, 24-year-old Stephanie Landaverde. "He was hearing all these conspiracy theories, and saying Trump said this or that. He didn’t believe it was a real thing."
Ciprian began experiencing symptoms from the virus on Sept. 20, and he was taken to a hospital three days later.
He died Sept. 29, and the family learned Trump himself had been diagnosed the day after receiving Ciprian's ashes.
"[It] brought some anger into our hearts," Landaverde said.
Trump spent three days at Walter Reed Medical Center before returning to the White House, where he claims to have recovered.
Cipiran's wife was also hospitalized with the virus and remains in treatment at a rehabilitation center, and Landaverde's parents also caught COVID-19.
"We, all the people who have been affected by COVID-19, lost their jobs, got sick, or even died from it, deserve to be heard," said Landaverde's mother, Gloria. "My heart is with President Trump and wish him the best but the country needs him to stop playing politics and remember we are people."
Seven members of the family in all became infected with the virus, which they suspect came from the now-deceased Ciprian.
