RIVERSIDE, NJ – Ed Kemble knows the full house well after sharing his home in Riverside with family members who have a special place in his heart.
But now, Kemble is dealing with the loss of the four he shared his home with after the four died, one by one, after contracting the coronavirus in early November.
A GoFundMe effort initiated by one of Kemble’s friends to help cover funeral costs raised more than $ 13,000 on Friday, as Kemble struggles to cope with the loss of so many loved ones in such a short time.
Kemble told ABC6 in Philadelphia that he took his family to look after them and simply put a roof over their heads. There was his brother, John Kemble, whom he cared for after John, a former EMT worker, lost both legs during the battle with diabetes and was confined to a bed.
Kemble’s mother-in-law, Ruth Allen, also lived under the same roof, as did her aunt, Eileen Wolverton, who ABC6 reported to remain active at the Washington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, despite suffering from stage 4 cancer.
And, of course, there was Kemble’s beloved wife, Barbara, whom he remembered walking around in a fire truck on his wedding day, according to ABC6.
Kemble, who works as a volunteer firefighter in Riverside, told the Philadelphia TV station that he is not sure how the coronavirus got into his home.
All of his family members had their respective health problems, which increased the risk of contracting the virus. This includes Barbara, who was the latest in her family to die, according to media reports. She died in mid-January at age 60, after dealing with diabetes, kidney problems and other health complications, according to The Star-Ledger.
“This was a nightmare that came true for the whole family,” said the GoFundMe page. “Anything will help.”
Kemble, who is 61 and also works as a truck driver, said all his family members were hospitalized with the virus, according to Star-Ledger, which limited his contact with them to FaceTime conversations. Kemble told the newspaper that his wife died of a stroke in the hospital after she was the first of her family to test positive for the coronavirus.
“People should be informed that (the virus) is out there,” Kemble told Star-Ledger. “People (should) keep their distance from each other and obey the rules that everyone says.”
Kemble does his best to stay active to keep his mind from focusing too much on all the losses he’s encountered lately. He told ABC6 that he hopes to hold a ceremony in memory of his family in the spring or summer, when it is safe to do so.
Others hope to be able to help end it and, at the same time, spread awareness.
“Be safe!” the GoFundMe page said. “This is real!”