Families mourn the loss of loved ones who hesitated on the Covid-19 vaccine

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Mike Lewis Jr.

Tampa, Florida (CNN)Mike Lewis Jr. was on a call with the doctor last month when he heard the sudden and frantic beeping of machines.

His father, also named Mike Lewis, was being treated for Covid-19 at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. The doctor called to say Lewis' heart had stopped earlier in the day, but they revived him and put him on a ventilator.

During that call, however, his heart stopped again. Lewis Jr. described hearing a chaotic scene in the background before the doctor quickly hung up.

"The panic is starting," said Lewis, Jr., recalling the horrifying moment. "The tears are forming."

Half an hour later, the doctor called back with the devastating news. Mike Lewis -- a towering man known as a protector and the life of any party -- had died at 58, just four days after being diagnosed with Covid.

Lewis Jr., 37, is now one of thousands of people dealing with the painful loss of a loved one who didn't get a Covid-19 vaccine at a time when shots are readily available. Like many, his father was juggling multiple jobs and, and as his son put it, didn't make the vaccine a top priority.

"I lost a piece of myself," said Lewis Jr.


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