
Adam Kuperstein reveals his father died of coronavirus complications alone while his family was informed of the devastating news miles away through the phone.
In an emotional Instagram post published Monday, the NBC New York anchor said his dad — who he called “Aba" (which means dad in Hebrew) — “died with a stranger holding his hand” in an Indianapolis ICU.
Because hospitals have barred visitors to prevent spread of COVID-19, Kuperstein’s family was restricted from seeing the patriarch during his final moments.
“All we could do was listen on the phone (from our separate quarantines), choking back tears, as the nurse informed us, ‘his heart stopped,’” the journalist wrote alongside the last photo he took of his father. “That’s when our hearts broke.”
To make matters worse, the reporter is unable to physically console his mother, who also contracted the virus and was forced to quarantine at home while her husband passed away.
“And I can’t even hug my mom!” Kuperstein exclaimed. “She tested positive for COVID-19 too. Only minor symptoms thankfully, but at a time where she needed someone to comfort her, she was alone.”
“It’s the cruelest part of this nightmare. She deserves better. He deserved better,” he added.
Kuperstein remembers his father — the son of Holocaust survivors — as a loving, hard-working man who always put family first.
“My dad came to this country with nothing, the son of Holocaust survivors, and achieved so much,” Kuperstein wrote. “He made sacrifices for his family and taught his boys how to become gentlemen, never asking for anything in return. Just love.”
To honor his dad’s memory, Kuperstein urges everyone to follow federal safety guidelines, and to express gratitude to our courageous medical workers who selflessly risk their lives for our well-being.
“And please send as much love as possible to the heroic health care workers trying to save us. My family never got to meet the nurses and doctors who cared for my Aba. But I know they did everything they could, even though it meant putting their own lives at risk,” he said.
We offer our deepest condolences to Adam and his family for their loss.
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