They tested positive for the coronavirus on November 6, after a trip to California to attend their uncle’s funeral, their brother Daniel Trevino told CNN.
Adelita passed away from the virus on November 29 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. Her brother died a week later at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, hours after his sister’s funeral, said their sister Jesusa Vela.
“I don’t wish this on anybody,” said Trevino. “My sister was 39 and my brother was 35. Pretty young. They had a lot of life left in them. And unfortunately, their lives were cut short because of the virus.”
Adelita presented all the symptoms of the virus, from fevers to body aches, according Vela. She was admitted to the hospital on the same day she tested positive and never left, Vela said.
Her brother, Nicolas, was admitted the next day and was sent home to quarantine. He returned to the hospital a week later as his condition began to decline, Vela told CNN.
The brother and sister were neighbors in Hartford, Michigan. Both were raising children on their own as single parents, with 11 kids in total between the two.
“They were always at each other’s houses,” said Vela. “They liked to barbecue a lot. Lita was always over there. They barbecued almost every weekend. They did a lot of stuff together.”
Vela says the two were silly and fun whenever they were together. Most of all, they loved their kids and were dedicated to their families.
Unable to visit their loved ones in person due hospital guidelines during the pandemic, the family spoke to each sibling through video calls and prayed over them as they fought the virus on ventilators and life support.
The family thanks their church community for supporting them in a challenging time. They hope their story can serve as a cautionary tale to families who are thinking of gathering for the holiday season and to encourage others to follow public health guidelines.
“The mask is temporary,” said Trevino. “When you lose someone, they are not coming back.”