A Southern California husband and wife died of coronavirus one day apart, leaving behind five children between the ages of 2 and 17, according to a report.
Humberto Ruelas-Rivas, 60, died on Sunday and his 38-year-old wife, Karina Bonilla, died on Monday, KTLA-TV reported.
A GoFundMe organized for the Ruelas-Rivas family has raised more than $40,000.
Ruelas-Rivas’ 35-year-old daughter, Maria Ruelas, told KTLA that she is taking care of her five young siblings as well as her 30-year-old sister, who also contracted COVID-19 and suffered a stroke.
“I lost my father, and within eight hours, I lost my stepmother,” Maria Ruelas told the TV station, her voice cracking. “And now I have five kids.”
California’s count of coronavirus cases has cleared 139,000, and the state’s death toll stood at 4,881 on Thursday, according to health officials.
