Miami-Dade’s first coronavirus death, a 40-year-old man: ‘He fought to the end’
He was a radiologist who was born in Cuba and practiced in Paraguay before he moved to Miami in 2016. He married a man from Paraguay and danced at the Winter Party Festival a few weeks ago. On Friday, the state announced his death from COVID-19, making him the first resident of Miami-Dade to die of the novel coronavirus.
Israel Carrera, 40, who lived in North Miami with his husband, Christian López, died on Thursday. Although Miami-Dade has more coronavirus cases than any other place in the state, 869 as of Friday evening, many other counties reported deaths first. On Friday night, Miami-Dade’s second coronavirus death was reported, out of 46 statewide.
“Israel died this Thursday at Mount Sinai. He fought to the end. He was a very good and helpful man, ” López said.
“Two weeks ago he’s healthy as a horse,” said North Miami Commissioner Scott Galvin, who is active in the LGBTQ community and communicated with Carrera’s friends after hearing of his death. “If you see pictures of him, he clearly worked out. Two weeks later, he’s gone so suddenly. Everybody is stunned.”
At least nine people who attended the festival, an annual weeklong “circuit” party that draws thousands of gay men to Miami Beach, have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The festival doubles as a fundraiser for the National LGBTQ Task Force.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of Israel Carrera,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the Task Force. “He was so clearly loved by many. The particular cruelty of this virus, this pandemic, is our inability to be together in grief, to hold each other and to care for each other. We hold Israel and everyone being affected by COVID-19 in our hearts.”
Lopez, 27, said Carrera worked as a driver for Uber and Lyft because he was out of a job. “Sometimes he also made presentations at parties. He was a very loving man with his family. He always worried about his own in Cuba. He helped them a lot,” he said.
The two met in Paraguay, where Carrera practiced as a radiologist. He came to South Florida, aided by what was then the federal “wet foot, dry foot” policy, which made it easier for Cuban refugees to settle here, and later reunited with his husband.
López said it is a mistake to assume that Carrera was infected with the coronavirus at the Winter Festival. He could have caught it at the grocery store or from one of his Uber or Lyft passengers. “No one knows,” he said.
Carrera also had a boyfriend who went to the festival with him.
“We went together,” Franco Conquista told WSVN, who first reported Carrera’s death, adding that he is now in isolation at home because he has the coronavirus.
“He started to feel sick after the event,” Conquista said. “I went to his place, taking care of him for two days, and I also had it. He couldn’t breathe, so he wanted to go to the hospital, and then, he was at the hospital for four or five days. Then, they put him to sleep because he was really agitated, and then, he never woke up again.”
López said there will be no funeral and the family is not collecting funds for the funeral. “All the expenses have already been paid by me. All I ask is that they pray for his eternal rest,“ he added.
“Just want people to know that this is serious,” Conquista said. “They need to stay at home. It doesn’t just kill old people. This poor boy was only 40 years old. It can kill anybody, so just stay home and think of other people. Try to save other people’s lives. Just because you are not affected directly doesn’t mean that people are not suffering from this.”
