Family asks people to help celebrate boy's 5th birthday after he lost parents to COVID-19

In a heartwarming gesture, family of a 4-year-old boy who lost both his parents due to COVID-19 is leaving stone unturned to make his fifth birthday a memorable one. Raiden Gonzalez's great-aunt Margie Bryant, whom he fondly calls grandma, wants to find a way to make sure little boy kws how much he is loved, especially in absence of his parents.

With Raiden's birthday on Sunday, Bryant told CNN that a 'wave and roar' disaur-med drive-by parade is set for vember 28. Bryant, who lives in Houston has asked for help from Texas community to make Raiden's birthday a memorable one. A local fire department, a Batman entertainer, monster truck clubs, motorcycle clubs and classic car clubs are all due to participate, she added.

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"It's a milestone birthday. We just want him to kw that we're going to be re for all of his birthdays and make sure he's celebrated, and I kw my niece has cheesiest grin because she kws her boy is in good hands",  Bryant was quoted as saying by CNN. Raiden lives in San Antonio with his maternal grandmor, Rozie Salinas.

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Tragic loss to COVID-19

Coronavirus stole  lives of Raiden's parents just four months apart, leaving little boy with only a few years of memories to cherish for a lifetime. boy's far, Adan Gonzalez Jr. (33), began a new job as a cement truck driver on May 12 where his trainer tested positive for COVID-19, and by May 31, Adan began experiencing what he described to his family as allergy-like symptoms, Bryant said. On June 3, he tested positive for virus, and six days later, paramedics took him to ICU, where he spent a little over two weeks before passing away on June 26.

On or hand, Raiden's mor, Mariah Gonzalez (29), a teacher at a daycare center, had been taking necessary precautions at work by wearing face masks after her husband's demise. She dealt with depression and anxiety after Adnan's demise, aunt said. However, her physical health seemed fine, Bryant said.

On October 5, Mariah spent day shopping with her mor, ordered dinner and lived an orwise rmal day, Bryant said. In evening, Mariah started experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains, so Bryant advised her mor to call paramedics. She passed at 8:14 on Tuesday morning. Hospital staff tested Mariah for coronavirus where first test came back negative but second test was positive, and within four hours of its result, Mariah had died of COVID-19 pneumonia and acute respiratory failure, as per reports.

family will hold a funeral service for Adan and Mariah after holidays, Bryant said. y have also set up a GoFundMe to cover those expenses and ors to aid Salinas as Raiden's caregiver, according to a CNN report.

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Im- Unsplash by Xiang Gao