6-decade married couple died of COVID-19 after haircut at home

• A couple married for nearly six decades died of COVID-19 just over a week apart after a family visit to get a haircut.
• Mike and Carol Bruno, from Chicago, followed strict precautions for months, only to contract the disease after visiting their son Joseph Bruno and his sister, who works in a beauty salon.
• Her sister had taken a COVID-19 test, which was negative and was quarantined for three to four days as a precaution.
• Shortly after the 40-minute visit, Bruno’s sister started showing symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, and Joseph and Carol Bruno also became symptomatic soon after.
• Carol Bruno checked into the hospital and put on a respirator around Thanksgiving, with her husband Mike following him just two weeks later.
• Carol Bruno died the day before Mike was put on the respirator. Nine days later and just two days before Christmas, Mike Bruno also died of COVID-19.
• “If I had made that sacrifice and, you know, I wouldn’t have spent, you know, 30-40 minutes with my mom – they would still be here,” said Joseph Bruno.
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After months of taking precautions, a couple who had been married for nearly six decades died of COVID-19 after a haircut at home, said their son.

Mike and Carol Bruno of Chicago died ten days apart at the hospital, said Joseph Bruno, after his mother, Carol Bruno and his sister visited their apartment to get a haircut, CNN reported.

“My sister works at a beauty salon and, just before Thanksgiving, my sister took a COVID test and was negative, and she was quarantined for three or four days after she was negative,” said Joseph Bruno to WLS-TV. “I needed a haircut, and she said, ‘Well, why don’t I just show up and cut your hair so you don’t have to go into the salon'”

During the November 20 visit, which lasted a total of 40 minutes, Carol Bruno was sitting by an open window to help with ventilation, and the three wore a mask and social distance.

“If I had made that sacrifice and, you know, I wouldn’t have spent, you know, 30-40 minutes with my mom – they would still be here,” said Joseph Bruno.

Just a day after the family’s visit, Bruno’s sister started showing symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, and Joseph Bruno and his mother followed shortly thereafter.

“Even when we think we did it right, we still did it,” Joseph Bruno told CNN.

Carol Bruno was admitted to the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, but was later discharged when her condition began to improve. A few days later, she was readmitted and put on a respirator.

Mike Bruno, who did not visit his wife at the hospital, also started showing symptoms of COVID-19 and was hospitalized about two weeks after Thanksgiving, Joseph Bruno told CNN.

Carol died of COVID-19 the day before Mike was placed on the ventilator on December 14, according to his obituary. Just over a week later, Mike followed him – just two days before Christmas, according to the CNN report.

“I think what gives us peace is knowing that my father did not know that my mother had passed away,” said Joseph Bruno to WLS-TV. “Knowing that they split up less than 10 days ago is a beautiful thing. And, you know, I would give anything to bring them back, but I’m very happy that they are together again.”

Mike and Carol Bruno are among tens of thousands of Americans who died of COVID-19 amid outbreaks of cases across the country. As of Tuesday, more than 19.5 million cases were confirmed and almost 338,000 people died of COVID-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.