Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said Sunday that his mother and stepfather are both still hospitalized with COVID-19 and on ventilators, but are making progress and are “receiving heroic care.”
“We know that fighting COVID-19 takes time and for many patients, weeks in the hospital. We continue to feel optimistic about their recovery,” he said.
“Over the days and weeks ahead my focus will remain on my family and leading our city.”
On Monday, Garcia announced that his mother and stepfather were hospitalized with COVID-19 and added that he and his husband Matt recently tested negative and have not been in direct contact with the mayor’s mother or stepfather in many weeks because of concerns about the coronavirus.
His mom is a healthcare worker who has served at the same community clinic for more than 25 years, according to Garcia.
“(She) is incredibly careful and understands the seriousness of this virus,” her son wrote.
Gabriella Garcia worked as a medical assistant at a satellite office for the City of Hope in West Covina at the time of a 2018 interview with the Long Beach Press-Telegram.