Joseph Michael Luna was a 43-year-old husband and father of six children. He developed symptoms around 9/17/2021 and contacted his doctor requesting monoclonal antibodies and a z-pack. Although he fit all the criteria to receive the monoclonal antibodies, he was rejected. Instead, got prescribed an inhaler. A couple of days later he went to the ER because his oxygen saturation dropped into the 60’s. A little while after he was discharged saying he could go home if he only needed four liters of oxygen.

The nurse called JoAnn at home and said she needed to schedule him to come in and get his final dose of remdesivir but by that time, Joseph had turned grey, and JoAnn called 911. On October 3^rd, JoAnn’s 35^th birthday, the doctor called to talk to her about putting Joseph on a ventilator. She facetimed him and could tell he was scared. Even though the nurses and respiratory therapist told JoAnn that he was doing fine, the doctor said he was taking him to ICU to be incubated. JoAnn up to this point had been denied going see her husband but she was finally allowed to see him through the glass. She told the staff she needed to touch him and talk to him, but she was not allowed.

The doctor at one point said to Joseph: “we need to vent you, or you are going to die, do you want to die?”

At 2 am on October 10^th, JoAnn was woken up by a facetime call from Joseph. He said, “it’s time, this is it- I love you.” By the 3am, Joseph was ventilated, and she never spoke to her husband again.

On October 31^st, JoAnn had a vivid dream of Joseph sitting up in the hospital bed, he was smiling saying “I can breathe, I can finally breathe.”

Joseph passed away on November 2, 2021. The medical records say he had a heart attack, liver failure, kidney failure. The death certificate says Covid 19, ARDS, renal failure, and shock.

Joseph had no history of kidney, liver, or heart problems. He caught a virus and most of us believe, if he had been given safe early treatments, his children would not be crying for their dad every night.

Rest in Peace Joseph Luna