Daughter of Lodi Walmart employee aims to bring attention to her father’s death

A woman whose father worked at the Walmart Supercenter in Lodi remains upset with the manner in which the company has responded to her following his COVID-19-related death in August.

Roberto Ayala, 62, worked at the Lodi Walmart for several years, Maricela Ulrich, his daughter, said. He died of COVID-19 on Aug. 13.

Ulrich, 40, of Lake Stevens, Wash., said her frustration rose when she learned in late December that the Walmart was being temporarily closed for a few days for deep cleaning as part of a company-initiated program to keep employees and customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Lodi News-Sentinel reported the cleaning followed community rumors that more than 20 employees at the store had tested positive for COVID-19.

Ulrich contends her father may have contracted COVID-19 at work.

“Being on the other side having my father work there, and pass away from there, and there was no acknowledgment of their protocols is almost like a slap on the face in the whole situation.” she said.

A Walmart spokesperson said the company cares about the loss or serious illness of any employee.

“We hurt anytime we lose a member of the Walmart family and our heartfelt condolences go out to the Ayalas,” spokesman Casey Staheli said.

Ulrich said her father requested and was granted paid leave of absence for a month and was granted an extension because he was afraid of contracting the virus. His request to extend more time away was denied.

He told her that people showed up at work with coughs and would sneeze but not with fevers, she said. Her father told her he reported this to management but they did not respond to his comments.

“We aren’t the only family affected with this in any degree, it’s happening all over the place, but to the acknowledgement of trying to, we strongly feel, sweep us under the rug. It’s not ... justice,” she said.

Ayala was sent home one day for having an elevated temperature but had no additional symptoms, when temperature checks began being taken at the store she said.

That same week, Ayala started having what he thought was a sinus infection, with chills and head pressure, Ulrich said. Having breathing difficulties lead him to go to the hospital.

Ayala was admitted to Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital on July 14.

He would never return home.

He tested positive for COVID-19, and got pneumonia from the virus.

A few days later his health began deteriorating. He was put on a BiPAP machine, then intubated.

Ulrich received a call from a doctor, who told her, “He’s not going to make it.” She drove from Washington to be close to her father, who died on Aug. 13 after a nearly monthlong hospital stay.

“My dad was completely healthy, no underlying health issues; he would ride his bike all over town. He could easily ride like 15 miles a day and be like, ‘Oh, it didn’t even feel like it,’” Ulrich said.

She said she later visited the Walmart in Lodi to collect his belongings and talk to his supervisors. She said they were not helpful. She asked them to check his locker for any personal belongings but they kept referring her to other managers, she said — a never-ending cycle where no one ever seemed to know what was happening.

“They wouldn’t give me the time of day,” she said.

“While it may be impossible to track the source of anyone’s infection, what we are seeing is that the health of our associates tends to track the health of the community as a whole,” Staheli said. “That’s why we are following the evolving guidance of the CDC and working in partnership with local health officials. We continue to take proactive steps to help ensure the safety of our associates and customers.”

San Joaquin County Public Health Services does keep track of outbreaks reported in the county. Even though unable to share information on specific businesses, when a claim is reported they conduct an investigation to determine the validity of the claim.

“We want to help them maintain safe operations and to keep them open as statewide public health orders and protective measures will allow,” said Daniel Kim, supervising public health educator for San Joaquin County Public Health Services. “We strongly encourage businesses to contact PHS, because our goal is to help mitigate the possibility of workplace COVID spread and to provide support and resources to the business who might not otherwise have help to control the situation, should they be exposed to someone COVID positive.”

Ulrich is still skeptical. “Walmart is trying to take the upper hand or make themselves in a plan look good for the community,” she said. “... They are looking out for their employees and wanting to take care of their employees, but they weren’t there taking care of my dad.”