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Funerals during coronavirus pandemic

El Centro, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Ever since the beginning of this pandemic, death has been a recurring theme.

A theme that has been reduced to numbers and behind these numbers there were people with dreams and hopes. There is also grief from family and friends who have to learn to say goodbye six feet apart. 

Sheila Krueger, managing owner at Frye Chapel and mortuary says saying goodbye doesn’t stop during a pandemic it is just adjusted.

 Ever since the beginning of this pandemic death has been a recurring theme. A theme that has been reduced to numbers and behind these numbers there were people with dreams and hopes. There is also grief from family and friends who have to learn to say goodbye six feet apart. 

Sheila Krueger, managing owner at Frye Chapel and mortuary says saying goodbye doesn’t stop during a pandemic it is just different.

“We’re trying to stay within the recommendations of the county and still allow a family to do something it’s part of the grieving process umm to just say no you can’t do anything would be heartless.”

Krueger says they have always taken universal precautions.

“Umm COVID isn’t as dangerous once a person is deceased. As some other communicable diseases such as tuberculosis or Hep C. Those are more dangerous to us and our profession than COVID is because they stay active after death.”

She says the most challenging thing has been to be around family and friends of the deceased who may have been exposed to the virus.

“Like I said the scariest thing is being exposed to people that are still living. That don’t and I don’t know if they don’t understand we had one lady that was definitely under quarantine not only did she come in here and not tell us till 30 mins she’s been with us and then she told us she was supposed to be in quarantine.”

The mortuary is allowing ten people at a time and they are all required to wear masks. Author Mitch Albom once wrote that death ends a life, not a relationship.

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Gianella Ghiglino

Peruvian-born and LA raised Gianella Ghiglino joins the team from the San Fernando valley. “LA is the place that taught me how to breath and Peru is my breath.” She says she was inspired by the community she grew up in and began documenting her experience through poetry at the age of 7. “I wrote about everything I saw, felt and everything that inspired me.” When she entered High School she joined her school news station and realized that broadcast journalism allowed her to pursue her passion and her purpose all at once. Gianella attended Cal State Northridge and received a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Spanish Broadcast Journalism, and Political Science. She did several internships while in College but most notably interned for PBS’s local LA station for three years. “My purpose is to share my story and of those in my community, my passion is writing.”

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