TopFeatured.com

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — When Stef Brown’s father, Kyle Brown, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in April, she thought she had nothing to worry about; he was healthy, had no underlying conditions and was only 54 years old.

Now, she is spending her first Christmas without her dad, something she thought she would have many more years of.

“It was like all these things that usually, you’d be messaging or calling them — planning something for it and instead, we’re going and visiting the grave site or having a birthday cake for him,” Stef said. “It’s just really hard trying to adjust to learn to live without him.”

Like for so many Americans this year, the bad news was unrelenting for the Brown family. In late November her paternal grandfather, Denny Brown, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and passed away on Dec 14 from complications.

“It was like PTSD almost. It was like bringing back all these memories and everything just happened with my dad,” Stef said. “It felt like I lost, you know, the last piece I had attached to my dad that was still living. So, it was hard.”

She said her grandpa had been previously fighting a long fight against leukemia but had been doing better. However, it did not take long for the coronavirus to take over.

“You really don’t understand it until you’re personally affected by it,” she said.

Stef said it has been frustrating seeing people still not taking the virus seriously, after it took her loved ones and even infected her at one point.

“Yes, the stranger at the store has no idea that my dad died from it, and they’re wearing a mask not covering the nose,” she said. “I know everyone’s gonna have their opinion on COVID — if it’s real, if it’s not — but I mean it seems pretty real to me. I can’t really escape hearing about it all the time, and it just like brings back my dad passing away.”

In the spirit of honoring their legacy and hoping to protect others, Stef said she will talk about her experience with anyone who is willing to ask or listen.

“That’s one thing that’s helped me. I’m not saying I won’t cry, like I might cry, but I’m talking about it helps me,” she said. “Whether it’s wearing a mask or just being a little more conscious talking about it…I hope something does come from it and I do change their minds.”

Stef describes her dad as someone who was hardworking and loved his family deeply. Kyle Brown was born and raised in Marshalltown and worked as a maintenance technician at TPI Composites in Newton. He was an army veteran and loved Cyclone sports. Kyle’s father, Denny Brown was a marine veteran and faithful Hawkeye fan, which Stef said brought a fun family rivalry. She said her grandpa was loving as he was stubborn, qualities she said were present even in his final days.

“He didn’t want to eat, but he would take a banana shake if you wanted to bring it over,” Stef laughed. “Two very great people that I mean, I had no idea were going to be gone so soon,” she said.