CelebrityYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: James Luensman, 43, of Atkins, Iowa
James Luensman, 43, of, Atkins, Iowa., died on Oct. 30, 2020, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He is among the more than 580,000 Americans who have succumbed to the disease since the first known fatality in the United States in early 2020. His 16-year-old son, Connor Luensman, told Yahoo News that his father was his “best friend” and a “hero” who saved many lives. James was a paramedic for 19 years in the Cedar Rapids area. He also ran the paramedic program at Kirkwood Community College and taught respiratory therapy and nursing.
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Alicia Arias, 78, of Buena Park, Calif.
Alicia Arias, 79, of Buena Park, Calif., died on Jan. 13, 2021, after becoming ill with COVID-19. She is among the more than 569,000 Americans who have succumbed to the disease since the first known fatality in the United States in early 2020. Her daughter, Yolanda Arias, told Yahoo News that people gravitated to her mother because she was loving and accepting of others. “She loved just making everybody happy. Making everybody happy made her happy,” Arias said.
CelebrityYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Terrence James, 49, of Galveston, Texas
Terrence James, 49, of Galveston, Texas, died on Feb. 19, 2021, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He is among the more than 565,000 Americans who have succumbed to the disease since the first known fatality in the United States in early 2020. His wife, Ebony James, told Yahoo News that her husband was a man of faith who loved God and his family fearlessly and that he was also passionate about helping people. “If someone were to tell him about an issue or concern that they had, he would always listen. He never missed an opportunity to say, ‘OK, let's pray for it right now,” Ebony said, adding that her husband “always made an effort to let people know that he cared.”
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Dennis Brandao, 77, of Osterville, Mass.
Dennis Brandao, 77, of Osterville, Mass., died on Jan. 26, 2021, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He’s among the more than 556,000 Americans who have succumbed to the disease since the first known fatality in the U.S. in early 2020. Brandao’s daughter, Denise Harris, told Yahoo News that her father was a loving husband, father and grandfather. “He had a heart of gold, and a smile that lit up worlds,” Harris said.
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Former SSgt. Robert Pedro Mendoza, 43, of Oceanside, Calif.
Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Pedro Mendoza, 43, of Oceanside, Calif., died on April 20, 2020, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He’s among the more than 550,000 Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the first known fatality in early 2020. His mother, Yolanda Mendoza, told Yahoo News that her son was a “loving person” who loved his family, his son and his country. “He served in the United States Marine Corps for about 15 years. He loved being a Marine, and everything that it stood for.”
CelebrityYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Nicholas Caravassi, 68, of Aubrey, Texas
Nicholas Caravassi, 68, of Aubrey, Texas, formerly of Fords, N.J., died on March 28, 2020, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He’s among the more than 540,000 Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic early last year. His wife, Carol Caravassi, told Yahoo News that her husband was a kind and outgoing person who made friends everywhere he went. “Some people collect things,” Caravassi said. “I always told Nick, he collected friends wherever we went.”
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Kathy Ann Weldon, 63, of Salem, Mo.
Kathy Ann Weldon, 63, of Salem, Mo., died on Jan. 24, 2021, after becoming ill with COVID-19. She’s among the more than 500,000 Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic early last year. Her husband of 28 years, Randy Weldon, told Yahoo News that his wife was a loving mother, grandmother and the love of his life.
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Theodis Quarles, 48, of Memphis
Theodis Ray Quarles, 48, of Memphis died on Dec. 18 after becoming ill with COVID-19. He’s among the more than 500,000 Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic early last year. His wife, Vickie Quarles, told Yahoo News that “to know him was to love him” and that he was “an outstanding man who would give his shirt off his back for you.”
CelebrityYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Juan Ordoñez, 40, of North Arlington, N.J.
Juan Ordoñez, 40, of North Arlington, N.J., died on April 11, 2020, after becoming ill with COVID-19. He’s among the more than 500,000 Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic early last year. Ordoñez was born in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the U.S. at a young age. His wife, Diana Ordoñez, says he was “a prime example of the American Dream.”
LifestyleYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Carmelina Inchaustegui, 77, of Miami
Carmelina Inchaustegui, 77, of Miami, died on Jan. 17, 2021, following an almost monthlong battle with COVID-19. She’s among hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. Inchaustegui immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in the early sixties, shortly after Fidel Castro took control over the island on Jan. 1, 1959. The Cuban Revolution unleashed the largest refugee flow to the U.S. in history, and Inchaustegui was one of over a million Cubans who fled the island and came to the U.S. in search for a better life.
U.S.Yahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Retired Lt. James D. Vance, 52, of Princeton, W.Va.
Retired Lt. James D. Vance, 52, of Princeton, W.Va., died on Jan. 1, 2021, following a month-long battle with COVID-19. He’s among hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. James was loved by his family, friends and his community. His wife, Jerri Vance, told Yahoo News he always had a smile on his face and “didn’t know a stranger.” She says he was very selfless, and he dedicated his life to serving others.
CelebrityYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Martin Addison, 44 , of Waldwick, N.J.
Martin Addison, 44, of Waldwick, N.J., died of COVID-19 on April 29, 2020. He is one of hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives to the disease since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020.
WorldYahoo NewsRemembering the lives lost to COVID-19: Ismael Cervantes, 31, of Fountain Valley, Calif.
This is part of a Yahoo News series honoring some of the American lives lost to COVID-19. Ismael Cervantes, 31, from Fountain Valley, Calif., died of COVID-19 on Aug. 11, 2020. “If you asked him for anything, he would immediately give to you regardless of whether he was left with nothing or not,” Cervantes’s wife, Karina Olivares, told Yahoo News.
“The media has anointed men who have sex with men as the biggest threat to our survival from monkeypox.”
“Rich countries have ignored endemic monkeypox in West and Central Africa for far too long, despite having effective vaccines.”
“The biggest worry for Americans is not the disease: It’s that our response to it shows how little we have learned from COVID-19.”
“Monkeypox should be a relatively easier virus to control, but only if the United States takes the needed steps now.”
“Global health officials must advocate for and enact a unified, coherent approach to fighting the monkeypox pandemic.”