After Patricia Dowd passed away at home all of a sudden on Feb. 6 at the age of 57, her family was in shock. The lady was in seemingly health, so the coroner’s explanation was all they had: An enormous cardiovascular disease likely killed her prior to she struck the flooring.
This week came another round of jarring news: Dowd was infected with the coronavirus at the time of her death. She is the first person in the U.S. known to have died from COVID-19
” There were no signs, nothing,” Dowd’s father informed The Chronicle on Thursday, standing on the porch of the Mountain View house where he raised Dowd and her three brother or sisters.
The Chronicle, in accordance with its anonymous source policy, concurred to keep the name of Dowd’s father over concerns about his privacy.
” Because she had to travel, (her company) had her get examinations by medical professionals. So her blood pressure and everything was fine,” he stated.
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Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said today that neither Dowd– nor the 2 other individuals whose cases were categorized as early coronavirus deaths– had actually traveled beyond the country soon before their deaths.
Dowd’s father stated his family is browsing life without Dowd and amidst the stay-home orders that makes gatherings difficult.
Prior to the orders were put in place, the family hosted a memorial service for Dowd at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mountain View, where many individuals loaded the pews that some visitors needed to stand. Mourners shared stories of Dowd’s easy smile, her laugh, and her friendship.
On Thursday, Dowd’s daddy leaned against the curved entryway to his home and recollected about the last major vacations she invested with the household.
” We were simply talking, chuckling, remembering all the bad things they did as teenagers,” Dowd’s daddy stated with a chuckle, his eyes blinking away tears.
Dowd, who he has lovingly called “my basic” since she was a young teen, had actually always moved with bouncy energy because she was a child growing up in Mountain View.
” She wasn’t bossy, however when she says something, everybody takes note,” Dowd stated with a smile.
When she wasn’t traveling, Dowd would either bring her dad a meal every Thursday, or take him to a local restaurant to consume. The years-long tradition brought him delight, he stated, since they would talk over healthy foods– like chicken and vegetables– and she would share the latest news at her job.
” Obviously I didn’t understand what she was speaking about, but I always agreed,” he said nodding, pantomiming him listening with a chuckle.
Dowd’s adult daughter now wants to continue that tradition, he said.
” I said, ‘Oh you have your daddy to take care of now,’ and she stated, ‘Oh, it’s one day a week.’ And I said, ‘OK, that’s fine.'”
Dowd was born Oct. 8, 1962, and her parents were one of the first Latino families in the Mountain View location, stated household friend Cerafin Castillo. Dowd’s moms and dads assisted Castillo’s immigrant mom.
” I can’t inform you how much her family has actually done for my household,” Castillo stated.
A year behind Dowd, Castillo went to St. Joseph Grade school and St. Francis High School with her. What she lacked in stature, she made up in spunk.
” She was as charming as a bug’s ear,” said Castillo, a 57- year-old Sunnyvale resident, who saw her as an older sis.
His mother called her “chile de bolita,” a little ball of spice.
Dowd’s LinkedIn page noted her work history, however also volunteer work painting Environment for Humankind houses in Contra Costa County, arranging food at 2nd Harvest Food Bank and tidying up a wildlife refuge behind her work in Fremont.
Her online obituary described a lady with a “gorgeous smile” who loved reading, scrapbooking, taking a trip, viewing motion pictures, red wine tasting and spending time with family and friends.
On March 15, Dowd’s child posted a picture of the pair, her arms curtained over her mother’s shoulders.
” I’m still in shock of how you were taken from us so unexpectedly. All I can say is Papa and I miss you so much,” her daughter wrote.
Lauren Hernandez and Matthias Gafni are San Francisco Chronicle personnel writers. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Twitter: @ByLHernandez, @mgafni
