18 family members receive COVID-19 after vacation rally in Pennsylvania

MILMONT PARK, PA – A family holiday party in Pennsylvania turned out to be its own big-ticket event.

It was on December 26 that Darlene Reynolds, 55, woke up with an irritating tickle in her throat. It was a day before she was planning to bring family members from as far away as Canada for a holiday gathering.

“I didn’t have a fever because I kept checking it – no fever, no fever, no fever. I said, ‘I’m going to keep my distance since I have a very small cough. “said Reynolds.

The next day, family members arrived for the party. Soon, she said, people started to get sick.

“So we were sick, but we didn’t know we had COVID. We could have had the flu, but it was scary,” Reynolds said. “We tested, and we tested positive. And then my husband tested positive the next day. And then (my daughter) got sick and she tested positive and my son tested positive.”

In all, 18 family members between the ages of one and 62 became ill with the virus.
Reynolds’ son and husband Stephen ended up in hospital, where he has spent the last nine days.

“He’s going in the right direction. He’s going to need some oxygen when he gets home,” said Reynolds’ daughter Joy Purdie.

Meanwhile, Stephen’s business called Mini Movers was sidelined when their truck broke down and now they have no income.

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Lisa Riggin of J. Riggin Painting saw the story on Facebook and decided to step in.

“The truck has been down for a month and they have no income and I just don’t want to see them lose their home or their business,” said Riggin, who set up Venmo and PayPal accounts on his Facebook for raise money for the family.

“People donate, not as much as I would like, but people are responding. We had a guy last night who donated $ 500. He doesn’t even know me, ”Riggin said.

So far, Riggin has raised $ 4000 for the Reynolds, who are always grateful for any help they can get.