San Francisco Firefighter Whose Daughter Works as Nurse Says Helping Others Is a Gift

A San Francisco Firefighter whose eldest daughter works as a nurse opens up about their gift of helping others and his fears regarding the novel coronavirus.

In an exclusive with People, Lieutenant Mariano Elias Jr., of the San Fransisco Fire Department, opens up about his role as a firefighter and how he feels about helping others. Elias expressed that:

"With my daughter as a nurse and myself a firefighter in San Francisco, helping others is our gift..."

Elias revealed that his eldest daughter Kayla Elias is worried about working and dealing with COVID-19 patients. Still, he has tried to reassure her that nothing terrible was going to happen if she followed the right steps. He added that:

"I have dealt with patients with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B, and tuberculosis...but I have never dealt with anything that has been this serious."

While he might have had experience dealing with all these other airborne diseases, Elias revealed that with COVID-19, it was more difficult as one had to be adequately suited and take cautionary steps not to be infected.

Elias added that his daughter's fear stems from the fact that she had experienced what being on a ventilator was like and did not want to go through the process again.

A father and daughter who were both healthcare workers passed away after being infected with the virus.

His comforting words to her have been that perhaps God gave her a second chance, and this was her turn to help others. Elias added that he advised her to wear her protective gear correctly and trust that it would keep her safe.

Elias, a father of five, revealed that he has been cautious during this period because he does not want to put his family and kids at risk. He admitted that his death was not something he wanted his family to experience as his kids were young. According to Elias:

"While I do love my job... my family is the only one I have, and losing any one of them or me passing would break our bond."

Although his wife is worried that he might get infected, the experience has been an eye-opener for them, and as a unit, they realize the importance of family during this period.

Elias' worries are common among healthcare workers who have to deal with COVID-19 patients. Sadly, in New Jersey, a father and daughter who were both healthcare workers passed away after being infected with the virus.

Dr. Satyever Dev Khanna, a surgeon and his daughter Dr. Priya Khanna died leaving behind family members who are saddened by the loss.

Another couple in California died, leaving their daughter to raise her five siblings. 60-year-old Humberto Ruelas-Rivas died a week after he was taken to the hospital. His 38-year-old wife, Karina Bonilla, died a few hours later.

While there have been numerous deaths resulting from COVID-19, local officials in Missouri have been stunned when two hairstylists who were infected came in contact with 140 people, and none of them tested positive for the virus.