Florida Family Turns Funeral of a Man Who Died of COVID into a Vaccination Event
A Florida family is channeling their grief into a push for increasing vaccination rates.
Marquis Davis, a 28-year-old man from Rockledge, Florida, died on July 26 after contracting the coronavirus. Though he wasn't vaccinated at the time, his wife Charnese Davis told local reporters that he planned on getting the vaccine, but never got the chance.
"He was in the hospital. He said, 'Bae, I'm going to get the vaccine when I get out of here.' So he was going to get it. I was like 'Good, I'm so happy you said that but it's too late,'" Charnese told ABC affiliate WFTV, adding that her husband was initially hesitant about getting vaccinated due to misinformation.
Now, Marquis' family is honoring his memory by turning his funeral into a COVID-19 vaccination site.
Charnese's church, Faith Temple Christian Center, asked her if she would be willing to incorporate vaccines into the wake and memorial service.
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"He was so adamant about not getting it, everything we hear about the vaccine wasn't always perfect...It's a lot of younger adults my age who don't want to get it or they think it won't affect them," Davis explained to ABC News. "But, it does affect you. This could have been prevented, so let's get vaccinated so it doesn't happen to you."
"At least have a fighting chance. Protect yourself. Protect your family," she added.
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Davis told the church pastor, Shaun Ferguson, that she was completely on board with the idea and the community then partnered with the state to provide doses of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the funeral. Onsite COVID testing would also be available to attendees.
"The family immediately saw this as an opportunity. His death, for many, is an eye-opening opportunity for people to get vaccinated. This tells you that this could happen to anyone, it could happen to me," Ferguson, who previously worked for the CDC, told Florida Today.
The vaccine and testing event was held on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
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