Valerie Tsosie, a dedicated mother whose work on the Navajo Nation brought her close to the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus, succumbed to COVID-19, family and friends said.
Tsosie served as a dispatcher for the police department in Kayenta, located on the Arizona portion of the reservation, colleagues said. She passed away on April 23, 2020.
“She died from COVID-19 which caused her to get pneumonia and have respiratory issues,” one of her daughters wrote on GoFundMe. “She was battling COVID-19 for a month until she passed.”
Tsosie’s family is devastated by her loss, a relative said. She leaves behind 8 children — including four who are under the age of 18.
“We are in need of funeral assistance and we estimated that her funeral cost will be $11,500.00,” the GoFundMe page reads. “Any extra donations will go to her younger children.”
One colleague noted that funeral costs have risen due to special precautions and other guidelines in place as a result of the coronavirus.
The Navajo Nation has been hit hard by the pandemic. First responders — including police officers and emergency medical technicians — are among those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
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