Rep. Maxine Waters Loses Her Sister to Coronavirus

Rep. Maxine Waters has revealed her sister died from complications of coronavirus.

Waters said on the House floor that her sister was gravely ill.  “I’m going to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri right now, infected by the coronavirus,” Waters said in April, as Urban Hollywood 411 previously reported.

In an interview with theGrio last week, she provided an update and said her sister, Velma Moody, 86, had recently passed away.

“It is one of the most painful things that I’ve ever had to experience in my life,” Waters told the outlet. “She had suffered. And so we are going through a very difficult time. It was not easy, but in many ways, I’m so glad she’s out of pain.”

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The congresswoman also said that her sister was living in an assisted care facility, and noted that nursing homes could be a dangerous environment for African-American communities specifically.

“The nursing home is the only place we have for many of our seniors, many of whom have outlived their families,” the California Democrat said. “That’s where they go. And now these nursing homes are like a Petri dish for the continued development of this virus that is killing us.”

Waters went on to discuss some of her personal losses due to coronavirus, and emphasized how African Americans should make health their number one priority.

“I want Black people to do everything that they can to take care of themselves,” she added. “I want them to be aware that they gotta have masks. They can’t go out. They can’t party. They can’t be in groups. I want them to isolate as much as they can. I want us to honor all of that. I want us to be patient with all of that.”