William ‘Billy’ Ford

Auto shop worker, twin Age: 59

Identical twins Bobby and Billy Ford were inseparable growing up in Williamsburg, Virginia, and then working in Bobby’s auto repair shop in Vero Beach, Florida.

Their workday camaraderie lasted until July 22, 2021 – a week after Bobby’s employees started learning they had COVID-19. Two days later, Billy was admitted to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital with the disease.

At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Bobby might have been especially vulnerable to hospitalization. But he had been vaccinated.

Billy was not vaccinated. “DNA-wise, we’re pretty much identical,” Bobby said, noting Billy had trimmed to 240 pounds from 400 after a diabetes diagnosis.

Billy Ford died Aug. 14, leaving behind a wife and three children. He was 59.

“We have a whole lot of friends that were not vaccinated,” his surviving twin said, noting that many of them got their shot after learning about Billy.