Tragedy struck two educators from Texas after both tested positive for COVID-19. Paul Blackwell, 61, and Rose Mary Blackwell, 65, both died around the same time at the hospital. In their community, Paul taught physical education and was a football coach at Fannin Middle School. Rose Mary taught second grade at Travis World Language Academy.
The couple have five children together and were dearly in love. According to family members who were at the hospital, the two died while holding hands — an act so beautiful yet tragic.
It's yet another reminder of how serious COVID-19 is. Families are being torn apart because of the severity of the virus and its symptoms. Yet since some people are asymptomatic, there are still households that don't realize the impact it's having on communities throughout the nation.
The couple's son, Christopher Blackwell, spoke with CBS 11 about the situation. He said both of his parents were in intensive care for a few days on ventilators, trying to improve. But things kept on getting worse as the days went on.
The two were both being treated at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. After the couple had been in the ICU for a few days, their children were given the upsetting news that neither parent would survive. At the very least, their families were able to say goodbye — something that many households throughout the country haven't been able to do.
"Two of my other brothers are actually in the room there at the hospital and they wheeled my stepmother in there in the room with my father and at the same time, removed them both from the ventilator," Christopher said. "They had them holding hands and they were both gone in a couple of minutes. I've never seen anything like that before and it's hard to even put into words seeing that."
It was almost as if having each other nearby gave the other permission to let go. It also shows that these two were genuinely so in love. They were also quite dedicated to their work, reportedly putting in their work hours right up to getting sick.
According to People magazine, both individuals had impressive work records. But Rose Mary especially had a lot to be proud of. She was reportedly the longest-tenured educator at her school, having put 20 years in. The district put out a statement regarding their untimely deaths.
"Rose Mary and Paul will be greatly missed by many," the Grand Prairie Independent School District said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family, friends, co-workers, and students both current and former." As for family, the Blackwells reportedly had 20 grandchildren.
The family set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for two funerals and end-of-life expenses. "They left behind many, many loved ones which includes their children, their wives, 20 grandchildren, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews & parents," the page states. "We are all at a loss for words at this time but want to thank everyone for their continued prayers. We are trying to take care of all the arrangements at this time so any help would be greatly [appreciated] at this time. Thank you so much & please continue to pray for the Blackwell Family."
The couple reportedly got COVID-19 during the week before Thanksgiving. "It really took a toll on them pretty quickly," son Shawn Blackwell said to NBC News. Rose Mary was having trouble breathing, and she often couldn't sleep through the night.
His dad, Paul, was unable to leave the couch for four straight days. Because they were sick, they had to say no to Thanksgiving — which, to their children, indicated how bad things were. It's unsure if Rose Mary and Paul had taken tests at that time to indicate that they were actually battling COVID-19. Since everyone's symptoms seem to be slightly different, it may have been tough to know for sure.
Because it turned out to be COVID-19, it's scary to know that they could have also put their family at risk. Still, not being able to see them during Thanksgiving dinner weighed heavily on their kids. "There's not been one Thanksgiving we've never spent together," said their son Brandon.
The kids admitted that having both parents in the hospital at the same time was hard to manage. "Their spirits were not too high during their hospital stay," said Brandon. "But just us being there, I know, gave them some type of comfort. I was just glad they were able to see our faces."
The kids were able to talk to their parents before they were intubated, which is something that they appreciated. "My little brother Shawn got to speak with my mom right before she got intubated and I was able to speak with my dad right before he got intubated, so it was crazy how that worked out," Brandon said. But it was still very alarming not knowing what would happen next.
"It was definitely the hardest decision we ever had to deal with in our entire lives, but knowing that they're together and the amazing parents that they were, we gave them a beautiful send off," Shawn added. "We wish it hadn't happened to our parents, but it does make us feel a little better that they're both together."
The Blackwells are a reminder that COVID-19 is still a massive problem in the world. While their story is sad, it's not the only one. People worldwide are losing loved ones, and as a community, we all need to do our best to stay safe. While Rose Mary and Paul are no longer around, at least there are plenty of stories their families and friends have to keep their memories alive.
