An obituary for a Kansas farmer who died of the coronavirus slams anti-maskers for contributing to the disease’s spread.
Marvin James Farr, 81, died on Tuesday in isolation at a nursing home, “not surrounded by friends and family,” his son, Courtney Farr, wrote in the online obituary.
“He was born into an America recovering from the Great Depression and about to face World War 2, times of loss and sacrifice difficult for most of us to imagine,” the death notice said. “He died in a world where many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another.”
Marvin Farr died “being cared by people dressed in confusing and frightening ways,” his son wrote. His final days “were harder, scarier, and lonelier than necessary.”
Courtney Farr says he penned the obituary after listening to people downplay the severity of the coronavirus.
“I’ve spent most of this year hearing people from my hometown talk about how this disease isn’t real, isn’t that bad, only kills old people, masks don’t work, etc.,” he wrote on Facebook, according to Newsweek. “And because of the prevalence of those attitudes, my father’s death was so much harder on him, his family and his caregivers than it should have been. Which is why this obit is written as it is.”
Courntey Farr remembers his father as a farmer and veterinarian, who filled his life with an understanding of the science of life. After his post went viral, he hit back against claims that he made the obituary political.
“Well, his death was political,” he posted. “He died in isolation with an infectious disease that is causing a national crisis. To pretend otherwise or to obfuscate is also a political decision.”
According to KMBC News, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has reported 168,295 cases of COVID-19, up 6,234 since Wednesday, and 1,786 deaths, up 107.
Today’s top stories
| ‘Fill her up’: Bartender gives woman a glass of water when the man she’s with orders tequila shot |
| ‘I don’t think my store has even sold one’: Whataburger employees take picture with first customer who bought a burger box |
| ‘It was a template used by anyone in the company’: Travel agent’s ‘condescending’ out-of-office email reply sparks debate |
| Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. |
