ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Getting a new job and preparing for a move is typically both exciting and nerve-wracking, with the emotions and details of transition and preparation. For 24-year-old Tashan Reed, that process was put on hold by COVID-19.
Last month, Reed received exciting news that he would be moving from Tallahassee, Florida, where he started his sports writing career covering Florida State football for The Athletic, to Las Vegas to cover the Raiders.
However, on March 19, Reed's family had to bury his uncle in St. Louis, who died after suffering a heart attack. Reed said, around this time, concerns surrounding COVID-19 were quickly ramping up.
"Things had kind of picked up enough with the virus to the point that I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to try to fly back and attend," Reed said.
Reed, who was born and raised in north St. Louis County, said his father and and uncle attended the funeral. Then his father came to spend some time with him as he prepared to move.
About a week later, Reed's father, Kenneth Reed, returned to St. Louis and started to feel nauseous and developed a fever. Around the same time, Reed's uncle, who attended the funeral with his father, started to have similar symptoms that were more severe. Reed said both got tested for COVID-19.
On April 24, Reed's uncle, Carlos Reed, was admitted to DePaul Hospital in north county. Days after he was confirmed positive for COVID-19, Reed's father was diagnosed as well. Kenneth Reed was able to recover from his home, but Carlos Reed was kept in the hospital and put on a ventilator.
"He was very, very sick, which is why he was in the hospital," Reed said. "He ultimately ended up passing away due to complications with diabetes."
Reed's uncle passed away on April 2. Reed said it was difficult to not be able to communicate with him in the days leading up to his death.
"When they're in that state, nobody can go visit them," Reed said. "He had a ventilator, so he couldn't talk on the phone or anything of that nature. You can't text, and you can't Facebook message. I knew what he was doing because the doctors were updating us every day, but I couldn't communicate with him."
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Reed, who self-quarantined for two weeks since he spent time with his father days before he was diagnosed, said his uncle's passing increased his concern for his father.
"My uncle was 60, and my dad is 72," Reed said. "He doesn't have diabetes, but he's in that target range of being most at-risk."
Reed said even though his father's symptoms worsened, he was able to communicate with him while he was recovering at home.
"I would call them twice a day and exchange constant messages with my stepmom who was there with him," Reed said. "I was always texting her, getting updates, so it was easier with his situation just because I had that access."
On April 16, a few days after he stopped showing symptoms, Reed's father was cleared from his COVID-19 diagnosis. Reed said it was a moment of relief for his family during a time of sadness.
Reed's grandmother also was diagnosed with COVID-19. She lives in a nursing home in the St. Louis area where there are multiple cases, and the family believes she contracted it from one of the other residents who has it.
"So far, she's symptom-free, so I think she'll be fine," Reed said.
For Reed, the past few weeks have been a mix of emotions between losing two of his uncles and worrying about his father's health. He said he is grateful for his father's health, and now his family is working to cope with the loss of his uncle.
"It's definitely awkward not being able to go to a funeral," Reed said.
He said his family plans to have a service for his uncle at a later date, when gathering guidelines are lifted. For now, they're focusing on finding comfort and holding on to the good.
"I take comfort in that they know we loved them," Reed said. "They lived relatively long lives, and they didn't suffer for a long time."
Reed has already started his new job, though he hasn't been able to physically relocate. He's busy preparing to cover the NFL Draft, coping with his family's loss and holding on to gratitude for healing and health they've maintained.
He said his hope is that people, particularly young people, will continue to adhere to federal guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19.
"I wasn't all that worried," Reed said. "I saw that younger people that didn't have pre-existing conditions did not seem to be in grave danger if they got it. I wasn't thinking about it as deeply as I should have been. Obviously, my family situation made me realize, not that I was one of those people going to the beach or anything, but how irresponsible that kind of thing is."
As Reed prepares to enter the next chapter of his life, there's an inevitable sense of uncertainty, but he said he has a lot to look forward to and even more to be thankful for.
