MIAMI – An entire South Florida family was struck down by COVID-19 after just one gathering.
At least seven family members became infected, and one of them is currently on a ventilator.
A chef by trade and a food lover at heart, Ray Burdier’s life is his Pizza En Fuego food truck.
Burdier’s sister, Belkys Diaz, told Local 10 News the 56-year-old is now in a coma, on a ventilator at Mercy Hospital in Miami, clinging to life amid the spread of the Delta Variant.
“We need to keep that going for him, because it would be heartbreaking for him to come out of this and find that what he’s built for the last 10 years is now gone,” Diaz said of her brother’s food truck. “We’re not going to let that happen.”
Diaz believes she and her brother both contracted COVID-19 about two and a half weeks ago during a family dinner at a restaurant.
All seven eventually came down with the virus, even though every single adult in the group had been vaccinated, except for Burdier.
“He would not be where he’s at right now,” Diaz said. “I know that he’s angry at himself for not getting vaccinated because he also has underlying conditions.”
For now, a growing GoFundMe page is helping to tie up loose ends. To visit the page, click here.
As the wood fired brick oven is still cooking up New York style pizzas during Burdier’s absence, his family now has a message to anyone on the fence about getting the shot.
“I don’t want anyone to go through what we’re going through,” said Diaz. “It’s just not right when it could have been prevented. Its either the vaccine or the ventilator. You’ve got the choice right now.”
For information on where COVID-19 vaccines are available in South Florida, click here.