The widow of an unvaccinated police officer killed by COVID warns that the virus “will ruin you”

The widow of a Florida police officer who died of COVID-19 urged others to get vaccinated while speaking at his funeral.

Karen Weiskopf described how St. Petersburg official Michael Weiskopf made the “risky decision” not to vaccinate, despite her best efforts to convince him to do so, according to reports Tampa Bay Times.

Michael Weiskopf died of COVID-related complications on August 27 at the age of 52. His funeral was held at The Coliseum at 535 4th Avenue North at 1 pm on August 31.

Speaking of COVID-19, Karen Weiskopf said during the service: “I assure you that this is very hard and dangerous-it will ruin you.”

Before the funeral, the Department of Health set up a tent in the parking lot of the Grand Theatre to provide vaccines from 9 am to noon.St. Petersburg police In a statement, the decision to provide the vaccine was part of the wish of Michael Veskopf’s widow to “do everything possible to encourage” others to get vaccinated.

After the funeral, the Pinellas County Department of Health in Florida wrote on Twitter: “To Ms. Weiskopf and [thank you] Encourage others to get the COVID19 vaccine. @HealthyPinellas is proud to help her with this work. “

St. Petersburg police chief Anthony Holloway said that after Michael Weskopf’s death, several police officers decided to be vaccinated.Holloway told Tampa bay times Previously, he had urged his officials to be vaccinated after participating in the parade in the name of Weiskopf.

Holloway told the media gathered outside the vaccine tent in the parking lot: “If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your colleagues, do it for your family – but do it for someone.”

During the service, the local rabbi Philip Weintraub also urged the police to get vaccinated. Not protecting themselves from the virus is equivalent to not wearing protective equipment on duty.

“You put on a vest, you don’t get into a dangerous situation if you don’t wear a vest,” he said through CW44 News at 10 o’clock. “vaccination.”

Pay tribute to the officials who started their career in the St. Petersburg department in 2003 and were assigned to the accident investigation team of the traffic department.

“Mike, the moment you left me, my heart split in two. One side was full of memories of our being together. The other side died with you,” Karen Weiskopf said.

“It’s easy to remember you. I do it every day, but missing you is a heartache that will never go away.”

Michael Weiskopf’s friend Phil Green added: “When I think of Mike, I think of actions rather than words. A loyal husband, son, brother, and good friend of all.

“If you are fortunate enough to get that sideways smile when he explains some crazy thing that happened, expecting laughter, it is often.”

According to the latest data, more than 11.3 million people in Florida (just over 52% of the total population) received two doses of the vaccine. Record number of hospitalizations and deaths.