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The novel coronavirus has claimed the life of a father of six in Texas, according to his family.
Adolph Mendez, who went by T.J., died on Thursday due to complications related to COVID-19, his family said. The New Braunfels resident was 44, the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung reported.
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Brenda Johnson, one of the man’s six children, told the newspaper that her father had no underlying conditions and was “perfectly healthy” before falling ill with the novel virus.
Adolph Mendez. (Facebook)
Johnson described Mendez, a kindergarten teacher at Oakwood Church, as “patient” and "kind.”
“He cared about others,” she said. “He loved his family so much. He was very involved in our community and our church.”
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Mendez's wife added that her late husband did not smoke or drink, was physically active and ate a healthy diet.
“You hear that the people who die are older or have previous health conditions but he was neither and the virus took him down hard,” she told the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
“It can happen to anyone, it’s not just a story that happens to people across the world. It’s here and it’s real and it can kill anyone, just like it did my husband,” she added.