Great-grandmother a hero in COVID-19 comic book
Boy, 9, pens, draws story to cheer up isolated elder in retirement home
A nine-year-old boy wants to let his great-grandmother know she is a superhero as she is confined to her room at a Welland retirement home under a COVID-19 outbreak.
Bohdi Rapin, who lives 140 kilometres away in Ayr, Ont., recently completed a comic book called “Great Grandma and the Coronavirus Catastrophie” for Jean Dunbar, who is 102 years old and the oldest resident at Seasons Retirement Community on First Avenue.
It was sent in the mail this week and the creative youngster is in the process of putting together part two.
His sister Shea, 7, also created a painting for her great-grandmother that will be received in the same package.
Dunbar has lived at the Welland home for almost six years, moving there from Iroquois, Ont., when her daughter Auriol Rapin moved to the Rose City about the same time.
Bohdi said in a phone interview this isn’t his first project of the kind.
“Making comics is my favourite hobby,” he said.
The story is about Dunbar and her ability to help others combat the virus from spreading.
“She’s trying to save Earth from getting the coronavirus,” said the Grade 4 student, who has been keeping his mind busy during the pandemic with creative projects and completing his required online schooling.
His favourite comic book character is Captain Underpants, he said.
Auriol, Bohdi’s grandmother and Jean’s daughter, said when she talked to her son David and grandson, it was evident the boy was putting a lot of hard work into the project.
“He’s such a perfectionist,” she said, noting he took extra time with it because he was having difficulty drawing a walker.
David emailed her a copy and she is more than impressed.
“Everything looked pretty darn good for a nine-year-old,” she said.
Auriol is in regular contact with her mother over the phone. It seems that she needs something to put a smile on her face and the comic book that will be arriving soon should do just that, she hopes.
Jean is mostly stuck in her room as the home works to recover from the outbreak.
“She just paces back and forth,” Auriol said.
Jean went outdoors for fresh air recently when residents were given permission to do so, but became confused on how to get back inside and now has a fear of leaving her room and the home, said Auriol.
“Now, she doesn’t want to go outside,” said her daughter.
She said a weekly highlight for her mother is doing laundry, along with the regular phone calls she receives from family and friends — including recent ones she received from people back in her hometown.
“I think she really enjoyed that.”
Seasons chief executive officer Mike Lavallée said there have been 17 positive cases of COVID-19 among the home’s residents, which has a population of 149.
Two cases have been resolved, and six residents have died, he confirmed. Nine resident cases are active, he added.
“Our thoughts are with these residents' families, friends and the staff who cared for them, at this very difficult time,” he said.
There are nine confirmed active cases among the home’s staff, and test results for 34 team members have come back negative.
Amanda White, another spokesperson for the home, said Wednesday that 24 residents had been tested.
The outbreak at the home was declared by Niagara Region public health on March 27.