Today we will discuss a story about a covid victim. I have selected a story corps story with a transcript. I want you to look at the transcript and listen two time. Underline words that are unfamiliar.

Jorge Valdivia (JoV): One year, mom and dad had a business venture and it didn’t go very well and we were broke. Mauricio had dropped out of high school, he was working at a factory and I think you were too little to realize what was happening, but it seemed like we weren’t going to have Christmas gifts that year. And on Christmas Eve, Mauricio showed up with a bunch of gifts for everybody. That’s the year that I got my very first transformer. I still have him. It was Optimus Prime.

Jessica Valdivia (JeV): What is your best memory of Mauricio?

JoV: Ooh, wow. I had just graduated from high school. That summer, I started the process of coming out of the closet. Mauricio was the good looking one that always had all these girls and he was the cool guy in the neighborhood. And I didn’t know how he was going to take it. I remember he came in the kitchen. He’s like, “So is it true?” And I said, “Yeah, it’s true.” He’s like, “Ok. I just want you to know that I love you and I accept you and if anybody messes with you, you let me know and I will kick their ass.”

JeV: That’s very accurate. That was Mauri. I could have been having the worst day, and he somehow knew how to comfort me.

JoV: You know I think there’s always that one person that goes out of their way to say that they love you and they’re proud of you. And in our family, that was Mauri. To find out that the person who brought so much joy is now fighting for their life in the hospital and you can’t see that person. You can’t tell him that you love him. You can’t hold his hand. All of those things just made it much worse. I wish I would’ve told him I loved him more. That I was proud of him.

JeV: He did know that. I know he knew that. His death has made me realize that there’s so much out there that I haven’t done, that I’ve been wanting to do and the time is now.

JoV: You’re right. Mauricio was able to teach us to live in the moment, and you know, life is a party. Enjoy it. That was Mauricio.