A 54-year-old veteran photographed struggling to breathe after being diagnosed with coronavirus has passed away, his family announced.
The heartbreaking photo of Michael Wright showed him on his stomach to enhance the capacity of his lung.
Sadly, his grieving family announced that he passed away on November 8 even though his condition had been described as ‘improving’ by The Star Tribune on November 22.
Wright’s stepdaughter Miranda Carlson said the veteran had been admitted to the Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 10.
“He has a history of chronic bronchitis, which of course made him high risk. He had developed pneumonia and eventually his organs began to fail,” she wrote.
“On December 8th, 2020 – the Lord carried Michael home to heaven. Thankfully, my mom was able to be by his side while the Lord took him home to heaven.”
Carlson described her stepfather as a “veteran, husband, son, father, bonus father, and grandfather.”
“This pain is unlike anything my mom has ever felt,” she expressed. “On top of grieving a pain so incredibly raw, she faces worries about the expenses that she will now face on her own. Michael was only 54 and my mom only 48, they never planned for this, they planned a long & beautiful life together.”
Sharing the heartbreaking photo, Jake Tapper of CNN said: “One of the difficulties in conveying how horrible this pandemic is continues to be the inability to consistently do so visually.”
Leila Navidi, the photographer who captured the image, wrote on Twitter: “For those who remember my photo of Michael Wright struggling to breathe in the ICU last month, an update: He tragically lost his battle with COVID earlier this week.
“I hope that Michael’s photo saved lives.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Michael!
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