A retired DC firefighter, jokester and loving grandfather, Gary Holmberg was 77 years old when he died following an outbreak of COVID-19 at Pleasant View Nursing Home.
“It kills me to think he died like this, this shouldn’t have been his way out. He didn’t want to die,” his daughter Tracy Shavell said.
His daughter said he served 22 years as a firefighter and was temporarily moved into the Carroll County nursing home in late February to recover from surgery. But on March 27, the same officials announced the COVID-19 outbreak, Gary was moved to Carroll County Hospital for a respiratory infection.
By March 28, he was left gasping for air.
Tracy said she and her brother rushed over at 2 a.m. to say their goodbyes.