LAKELAND, Fla. – A 90-year-old man dressed in full protective gear so he could say his final goodbyes to his wife of nearly 30 years.
Sam Reck had been separated from his wife, JoAnn Reck, during the pandemic after the state placed a ban on visitors at nursing homes.
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He was reunited with his wife at a hospital in the Tampa area shortly before she died of COVID-19.
"Here's this 90-year-old man, he did risk his life to go see my mom, but that was his choice, that's his freedom to do that. He knew what he was risking," said Scott Hooper.
Scott Hooper also dressed in personal protective gear so he could say goodbye to his 86-year-old mother. His family recorded the moments his stepdad said goodbye to their mom.
Hooper says his mother contracted COVID-19 last week and developed a fever, cough and fatigue.
JoAnn was diagnosed with dementia about a year ago.
JoAnn raised three children, including a daughter who died before her. She leaves behind grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
This story originally reported by Julie Salomone on abcactionnews.com.