47-year-old father of three died just days after COVID-19 diagnosis
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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV) — Sarai Williams describes her father as the life of the party and a father figure not just to her and her siblings but to others in the community.
“He always knew how to make everyone laugh,” said Williams.
Her father, Afi Williams, 47, died on August 6th after battling COVID-19.
Williams worked at a hardware store in Florissant and his family describes him as a healthy man who loved to go to the gym.
“Definitely big on work outs and staying healthy,” said his daughter. “[The virus] took a toll on his body in less than two weeks.”
His family said he developed a fever on July 24 and got tested at the Urgent Care. On July 29 he received a positive result from his COVID-19 test. He died just a week later.
“It was fast and with COVID restrictions we couldn’t even have a proper service to celebrate him,” said his daughter.
In St. Louis County, 705 people have died from COVID-19 out of the known 17,094 positive cases. That’s just more than four percent mortality rate. But each of those numbers represents someone’s loved one.
And while Afi Williams’ family will carry on his memory, they hope others will remember his story and take this virus serious.
A GoFundMe has been started for his family to help cover funeral expenses.
Editor’s Note:
An earlier version of this story said the mortality rate in St. Louis County was less than one percent due to a mathematical error. That number has been corrected.
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