Father of five dies from COVID-19, shortly after wife’s death
Daniel Macias, a Yucaipa father of five whose wife, Davy, a nurse, died of complications from COVID-19 late last month, has died after battling the disease, according to a GoFundMe account set up by family members.
The Macias children are ages 7 and under, including a newborn delivered a week before Davy Macias’ death.
“There aren’t words to explain the loss of both him and Davy,” Terri Serey, a member of the GoFundMe fundraising team, wrote on the page Friday. “Keep the kids in your thoughts and prayers. They gained two angels but still have a long road ahead of them.”
Daniel Macias, 38, was a 15year educator in the Rialto Unified School District, where he was the AVID coordinator and chair of the math department at Jehue Middle School, according to district spokesperson Syeda Jafri. Daniel Macias graduated from Rialto High School; his wife from Eisenhower High.
He is “remembered as a compassionate, kind-hearted, funloving and generous teacher at Jehue Middle School, but he was also a devoted family man,” a statement from RUSD said.
Jafri said Jehue’s staff is collaborating with staff at Morris Elementary School, where Daniel Macias’ mother worked before her recent retirement, to raise funds for the family.
“On behalf of the Board of Education and Superintendent, Dr. Avila, we share the grief with his families and Jehue staff. It is a challenging time but Mr. Macias left a legacy of education excellence for countless students,” the district’s statement said. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the Macias family.”
Daniel and Davy Macias, a registered nurse in the labor and delivery ward at Kaiser Fon
tana Medical Center, took their family on a beach vacation toward the end of July, concluding the trip at an indoor water park in Orange County, family members said. Shortly thereafter, Davy Macias, who was pregnant at the time, was admitted to the emergency room with COVID-19.
Her husband started his battle with the disease a few days later.
A doctor delivered the Macias’ child six weeks before her due date. The couple did not get an opportunity to name the baby girl, who is in good health at the moment, according to family.
Davy Macias died eight days after the baby’s delivery, on Aug. 26. She was 37.
Macias’ brother, Vong Serey, said in an interview last month that his sister was not vaccinated and was hesitant to get the shot because she was pregnant. Serey did not know whether Daniel Macias had been inoculated.
“Incredibly sad news,” Terri Serey wrote Friday on the GoFundMe page. “Daniel lost his fight with COVID yesterday afternoon.”
More than $157,000 had been raised as of Friday evening.
“I am overwhelmed and humbled by the donations,” Serey wrote Monday. “I have to keep my emotions in check as groceries, toys, baby items, gift cards and furniture is dropped off for the kids. … Thank you again for everyone’s kind words during this tragic time.”