This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/lawrence-minnette-nokes-coronavirus/2020/05/13/6b494082-946c-11ea-9f5e-56d8239bf9ad_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_homepage
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| He woke from a coma to find the virus had taken his wife. Then it took him, too. | He woke from a coma to find the virus had taken his wife. Then it took him, too. |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| When Lawrence Nokes, 69, was taken off the respirator on April 10, doctors told his family he had a good chance of recovering. | When Lawrence Nokes, 69, was taken off the respirator on April 10, doctors told his family he had a good chance of recovering. |
| Nokes, a Maryland native, worked as a nursing assistant at Pleasant View Nursing Home. He had been attending to patients just days before 84 of the facility’s 95 residents tested positive for the novel coronavirus, marking one of the worst outbreaks of the virus in the state. | |
| Nokes was admitted to Carroll Hospital Center on March 30 and intubated. After about a week in a coma, his prognosis improved, his family recalled. He started to breathe on his own. | Nokes was admitted to Carroll Hospital Center on March 30 and intubated. After about a week in a coma, his prognosis improved, his family recalled. He started to breathe on his own. |
| When he regained consciousness, Nokes asked for just one person: Minnette. | When he regained consciousness, Nokes asked for just one person: Minnette. |
| Minnette Nokes, 71, his wife of 24 years. The vivacious, feisty woman who opened the door two decades ago when he came to drop off a pack of sugar. The person who greeted him after work each day at their quiet home in Westminster, often resting a grandchild or great-grandchild on her hip. The woman who, on Sunday nights, slow-danced with him to Patti LaBelle. | Minnette Nokes, 71, his wife of 24 years. The vivacious, feisty woman who opened the door two decades ago when he came to drop off a pack of sugar. The person who greeted him after work each day at their quiet home in Westminster, often resting a grandchild or great-grandchild on her hip. The woman who, on Sunday nights, slow-danced with him to Patti LaBelle. |
| From his hospital bed, Nokes asked repeatedly for Minnette. His doctors hesitated. When he grew agitated, his family members knew they had to tell him the truth. | From his hospital bed, Nokes asked repeatedly for Minnette. His doctors hesitated. When he grew agitated, his family members knew they had to tell him the truth. |
| Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. | Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. |
| In the days after sending her husband to the emergency room, Minnette had started feeling extremely tired, her daughters said. She worried about her husband, whom she called “Junior” or “June-bug.” Because she was under quarantine, she could not see her friends and family. | In the days after sending her husband to the emergency room, Minnette had started feeling extremely tired, her daughters said. She worried about her husband, whom she called “Junior” or “June-bug.” Because she was under quarantine, she could not see her friends and family. |
| On April 7, a day before her 72nd birthday, Minnette Nokes had a heart attack and died in her sleep. The medical examiner’s office said she posthumously tested positive for the coronavirus. | |
| Once Lawrence Nokes found out, his breathing grew raspy again, recalled his stepdaughter, Carrie Kelly. He asked medical staff to let him sign a “do not resuscitate” order indicating that he did not want to receive CPR if his heart stopped. He also asked to stop further medical treatment and to be transferred to hospice. | Once Lawrence Nokes found out, his breathing grew raspy again, recalled his stepdaughter, Carrie Kelly. He asked medical staff to let him sign a “do not resuscitate” order indicating that he did not want to receive CPR if his heart stopped. He also asked to stop further medical treatment and to be transferred to hospice. |
| “He was brokenhearted,” Kelly said. “He did any and everything for my mother, so this — it took its toll.” | “He was brokenhearted,” Kelly said. “He did any and everything for my mother, so this — it took its toll.” |
| Over five days, Nokes called his children and grandchildren, giving them instructions on what to do with his belongings and telling them that he loved them. When stepdaughter Chaunda Stewart called him, he kept apologizing, she said, because despite what his loved ones told him, Nokes felt partly responsible for his wife getting sick. | Over five days, Nokes called his children and grandchildren, giving them instructions on what to do with his belongings and telling them that he loved them. When stepdaughter Chaunda Stewart called him, he kept apologizing, she said, because despite what his loved ones told him, Nokes felt partly responsible for his wife getting sick. |
| He died on April 15, eight days after Minnette. As of Tuesday, he is one of 11 nursing home employees in Maryland who have lost their lives to the virus. | He died on April 15, eight days after Minnette. As of Tuesday, he is one of 11 nursing home employees in Maryland who have lost their lives to the virus. |
| Too few masks, tests and workers: How covid-19 spread through Maryland nursing homes | Too few masks, tests and workers: How covid-19 spread through Maryland nursing homes |
| “I’m still angry at Pleasant View, still confused at how quickly we lost them both,” Kelly said. “Junior was a good person to so many people. They both were.” | “I’m still angry at Pleasant View, still confused at how quickly we lost them both,” Kelly said. “Junior was a good person to so many people. They both were.” |
| Lawrence Nokes was raised in Union Bridge, Md., a small Carroll County town of about 1,000 residents where “everybody knew everybody,” said Paul Jones, a childhood friend. When Nokes grew older and moved away, he still called himself a “country boy,” his relatives said, and still carried himself with the same laid-back, mellow attitude of a man who grew up running free in wide, green fields. | Lawrence Nokes was raised in Union Bridge, Md., a small Carroll County town of about 1,000 residents where “everybody knew everybody,” said Paul Jones, a childhood friend. When Nokes grew older and moved away, he still called himself a “country boy,” his relatives said, and still carried himself with the same laid-back, mellow attitude of a man who grew up running free in wide, green fields. |
| Minnette Nokes was born in Baltimore and could not have been more different, her daughters said, chuckling. She was passionate and funny, often the life of the party — and knew it. Every year, she celebrated her birthday like it was a milestone, Kelly said. | Minnette Nokes was born in Baltimore and could not have been more different, her daughters said, chuckling. She was passionate and funny, often the life of the party — and knew it. Every year, she celebrated her birthday like it was a milestone, Kelly said. |
| For her 70th, nearly two years ago, her children threw her a surprise party, inviting the many friends and family members who loved her. Kelly remembers her mother sauntering down the stairs to greet the hundred or so people packed into the house. She had a twinkle in her eye, Kelly said, and a smile that said, “Yes, you should be celebrating me.” At the party, Lawrence Nokes stood tall in a corner, gazing at his wife. | |
| “She was the light,” Kelly said. “For all of us, but especially for him.” | “She was the light,” Kelly said. “For all of us, but especially for him.” |
| Steve Joltin, Rockville resident who collected treasures, dies of covid-19 at age 75 | Steve Joltin, Rockville resident who collected treasures, dies of covid-19 at age 75 |
| ‘My source, my strength’: Friends, family remember Montgomery County employee who died from covid-19 | ‘My source, my strength’: Friends, family remember Montgomery County employee who died from covid-19 |
| Dozens of cases, and 10 deaths. Inside Maryland’s worst coronavirus outbreak. | Dozens of cases, and 10 deaths. Inside Maryland’s worst coronavirus outbreak. |
| Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) | Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) |
| Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news | Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news |