These last few weeks for us have been an education every single day of survival. The challenging lessons come by the minute of what to do and not do. But common sense is the best guide to make it through.
God has guided my life. He’s blessed me with instincts. I spent a week in Miami January 28-February 4 covering Super Bowl LIV, and I did not hear a word about a coronavirus. Not one word all week. Then I spent four days in Chicago February 14-17 covering the NBA All-Star game.
Two players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of Utah, who played in that game were the first professional athletes to test positive for the coronavirus on March 12.
On Wednesday, March 11 it was reported that 31 people had died in the U.S. from COVID-19 and that we were in a public health crisis just like that of a pandemic. On March 11 I canceled annual fundraiser, the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund Benefit Celebration, set for this weekend April 3-4.
On March 12, the NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLB, MLS and PGA Tour all stop playing. We’ve had 16 NBA players, including Kevin Durant, test positive. And NBA owner James Dolan is the first billionaire of the New York Knicks to test positive, as well as four NHL players.
We’ve had an NFL head coach, Sean Payton of New Orleans, and sports reporter Doris Burk of ESPN test positive. The Staples Center in Los Angeles is being blamed as the source for 16 cases of COVID-19.
The Lakers, Clippers, and NHL Kings play in that building. It also hosted the Grammys and a Kobe Bryant Memorial service.
The 2020 summer Olympics of Tokyo has been postponed until 2021. The Masters and Indianapolis 500 are both postponed.
As of today, 2,500 people have now died in the U.S, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading epidemiologist, says COVID-19 could kill as many as 200,000 in the U.S. alone, with over 723,000 cases worldwide and 34,500 deaths.
We are in the middle of the greatest pandemic this country has faced since 1918. We are dependent on our ability to make wise decisions to survive. Social distancing it’s called. I firmly believe your political choice of being a Republican or Democrat and being blinded to the truth has guided many people to making the wrong choice, and those choices are costing people their lives in the middle of a pandemic.
We have a president who was impeached, who survived a Senate trial of no witnesses and documents by a 51-49 vote.
Why? Because each Republican Senator voted along party lines to support him, and they had a four-person majority.
This country knew about this coronavirus in January, and Donald Trump, our president, told us not to worry. He called it the “Chinese virus.”
He told us that it would blow away like magic on February 26. I did not trust him then or before. We as people are fighting for our lives. Three million people have lost their jobs in just three weeks. Things are not normal; business is not usual
Unfortunately it has taken great pain and suffering for many thousands to listen. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and New Orleans are hot spots. This frightening coronavirus has hit 151 countries. We are not alone, but we were warned, and our leader who many of you trust, Donald Trump, has hurt us.
Pullquote: Unfortunately it has taken great pain and suffering for many thousands to listen.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday and Friday at 9:10 am, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on “Almanac” (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com or visit Larry-Fitzgerald.com.