35-year-old Iraq War vet, father of 5, dies of COVID in Texas. ‘Can happen to anybody’
Four weeks after developing COVID-19 symptoms he initially thought were flu-related, a 35-year-old Texas father died.
Matthew Law, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Iraq War, did not have any underlying health conditions before contracting the coronavirus, his Midlothian widow said. He died Nov. 28.
“Thirty-five years old, healthy, zero underlying health conditions, two tours in Iraq and this is what caused his death,” Jennifer Law told KXAS. “This shouldn’t have ever happened to him, but it can happen to anybody. Literally anybody.”
A native of Dallas, Matthew Law married Jennifer, his high school sweetheart in 2008, and they had five children, according to his obituary.
Now Jennifer says she is trying to put on a brave face for her children, who range in age from 1 to 11.
“The pain of losing a spouse is indescribable,” she told KDFW. “I cry in the shower and then think, ‘OK, Jennifer. You have five kids. Get it together.’”
Matthew Law tested positive for the virus on Oct. 31 and had mild symptoms at first, KDFW reorted.
By Nov. 9, he was admitted to the intensive care unit at an area hospital as his oxygen level dropped, Jennifer Law wrote on Facebook.
He was given Remdesivir and other treatments, Jennifer wrote, and he was placed on a ventilator Nov. 27.
The virus spread throughout his lungs, and his liver began failing Nov. 28, according to his wife. He died later that day.
“No words can begin to describe the agony and the pain and just the trauma of it all,” Jennifer Law told KXAS. “To experience heartache like that truly hurts physically. I can’t imagine anybody having to go through this, I would never want that for anyone.”
She said she and some of her children were also diagnosed with the virus, but they did not have severe symptoms.
“Matthew loved children, both his own, and those of friends and family,” the obituary says. “Matthew was a loyal friend and was always willing to lend a hand. He would help you move, fix your car, just listen, or if needed, provide the biggest, warmest, bear hug!”
This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 8:47 AM with the headline "35-year-old Iraq War vet, father of 5, dies of COVID in Texas. ‘Can happen to anybody’."