A Tongan wife who is still fighting for her life in a Portland hospital in Oregon has no idea her husband has died and her family were preparing to bury him next week.
Losa ‘Ete’aki was still being kept in a medically-induced coma after she suffered from the deadly coronavirus.
While still in hospital, the father of their three children posted on Facebook asking for prayers for her saying she was being diagnosed with Covid-19. He died the following day.
Siaki ‘Ete’aki, 50, died in his sleep on December 18, a brother told Kaniva News, saying he believed Siaki was overly stressed by his wife’s Covid conditions.
The family was expected to bury Siaki’s body on Wednesday next week.
An announcement on Facebook about Siaki’s death said his wake was scheduled for next week on Wednesday 28 (Pacific Standard Time) at 6801 SW Sunset HWY, Portland Oregon 97203.
It said after the wake the family will proceed with his burial services.
Siaki was a staunch supporter of the Tongan PTOA Global group based in the US which missions included pushing for more democratisation processes since Tonga’s democratic reforms of 2010.
Pacific Islanders in the US including Tongans have more than triple the rate of coronavirus cases in their communities than any other race in Oregon.
A report by Oregon Live said: “The Oregon Health Authority reported July 8 that there are 189.6 cases of coronavirus per 10,000 Pacific Islanders. The next highest rate in Oregon is 54.7 cases per 10,000 Black people, and white people have 12 cases per 10,000 people”.
