‘There is no ground zero’: Funeral home sees surge from COVID-19

By DAVID LOPEZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

County-wide spike
Pictured is Thomae-Garza Funeral Home located on Sam Houston Blvd. The location has seen an increase in deceased individuals.
(Photo by David Lopez)

Funeral homes in Cameron County have been reportedly backlogged because of the increasing number of deaths, presumably from COVID-19.

Thomae-Garza Funeral Director Albert Vega spoke to the NEWS about his funeral home facing an increasing number of deceased individuals.

“The surge started in the first week of July,” Vega said. “It still really hasn’t decreased. We’re backed up by a couple of weeks.”

Vega mentioned that cemeteries are full and that his funeral home covers all of Cameron County, not only by taking in more of the deceased but also by personally helping and consulting other funeral homes in Harlingen and Brownsville.

Vega has worked as a Mortar Officer for the federal government and was deployed to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and to New Orleans after Hurrican Katrina.

“When we go and help out our local neighbors, we come as a group and go into ground zero, but here there is no ground zero, this is everywhere, so we’re all trying to help each other out as much as possible,” he said.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length. To read the full story, click here or make sure to grab a copy of the July 31 – Aug. 6, 2020 issue of the NEWS.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2020/07/30/there-is-no-ground-zero-funeral-home-sees-surge-from-covid-19/

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