Elizabeth Warren’s oldest brother, Don Reed, passed away on Tuesday night after undergoing medical care for complications caused by the coronavirus, the Massachusetts senator said Thursday.
Warren confirmed Reed’s death in a series of messages posted to Twitter, as well as a statement originally published by The Boston Globe. Following her initial announcement, Warren shared a photo of Reed and praised his “extra special” smile, before citing the unique difficulties that come with losing a loved one at a time when hospitals across the country have implemented policies restricting visitation and widespread social distancing orders remain in place.
“I’m grateful to the nurses and frontline staff who took care of him, but it’s hard to know that there was no family to hold his hand or to say ‘I love you’ one more time—and no funeral for those of us who loved him to hold each other close,” she wrote. “I’ll miss you dearly my brother.”
I’m grateful to the nurses and frontline staff who took care of him, but it’s hard to know that there was no family to hold his hand or to say “I love you†one more time—and no funeral for those of us who loved him to hold each other close. I’ll miss you dearly my brother. pic.twitter.com/oOG6HArEL6
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 23, 2020
Reed passed away in Oklahoma, where limitations on visitors have been temporarily imposed among the state’s hospitals. In additional commemorative messages shared Thursday morning, Warren noted that he was an Air Force veteran who joined the military when he was 19 years old.
“He was charming and funny, a natural leader,” her messages continued. “What made him extra special was his smile—quick and crooked, it always seemed to generate its own light, one that lit up everyone around him.”
Warren had not previously disclosed her brother’s coronavirus diagnosis to the public.
