More than five million people have succumbed to COVID-19 worldwide since the pandemic started, but statistics don’t always show the human side of the virus’ effects.
Closer to home, Kim Lambert, a retired University of Toronto professor—and by all accounts a spry, intelligent, and active 94-year-old resident of Lake of Bays—recently died due complications from a COVID-19 infection.
His wife, Nadya Tarasoff, 82, who is currently recovering from her own infection, recently took to social media to express her anguish, anger, and desperation at those who refuse to get vaccinated.
Tarasoff said she began to experience symptoms about three days after her husband. His symptoms involved shortness of breath at first, and then a worsening cough.
“He was a bit short of breath on Wednesday, I mean we’re not positive that that was the first symptom because Thursday we went into town and Friday the cough got a little worse, Saturday we actually had people here who have all been tested. That was the first thing we did, and Sunday [October 31] he said that he wasn’t going to church… and I took him to the hospital,” recalled Tarasoff.
When he called to let her know he had COVID-19, she was in disbelief. She tested positive as well, and went into isolation.
Kim Lambert was admitted to Huntsville District Memorial Hospital last Sunday, October 31, and died on Thursday, November 4 from what the coroner described as complications due to COVID, explained Tarasoff.
“It hit him hard. He was on heavy-duty oxygen and the hospital staff did everything they possibly could to save him. He was a very charming man and even with COVID and being 94 he charmed all the medical staff,” noted Tarasoff.
“Even with double vaccination, COVID is so pernicious that despite all of the precautions, if you are a vulnerable person it can still get you and he was definitely vulnerable,” she said of her husband’s congestive heart issues.
“We still have to be very vigilant, and everybody get vaccinated!” insisted Tarasoff.
Her daughter, Tamara, also had a message, shared via Twitter: “The virus is still out there. If everyone who’s eligible would get vaccinated it would help protect our most vulnerable. And based on my family’s tragedy I would say our Elders need to go above and beyond public health guidelines to stay safe.”
Tarasoff spoke of her experience with a particular individual who is part of the Trinity United Church community.
“She insisted on coming and insisted on not wearing a mask and being an anti-vaxxer,” said Tarasoff who had what she described as a confrontation with the individual who told her she had nothing to worry about since she was double vaccinated. “That kind of attitude bothers me. We do not know, we have no clue, where Kim got it.”
Tarasoff believes the fact that she was double vaccinated has kept her symptoms milder. She has flu-like symptoms and tires quickly but has managed to stay out of hospital.
“Get vaccinated because if I wasn’t vaccinated, I’d probably be in hospital,” she said during a telephone conversation from her bed at her home in Lake of Bays. “I think Kim would’ve gone sooner if he was not vaccinated. In fact, initially, I thought his cough was related to allergies and his heart,” she said, adding that although he was 94, most people thought he was younger and had been splitting their wood up to last year.
Tarasoff said she and her husband had been isolated at their Menominee Lake property for most of the past year and a half, save for buying groceries, medical appointments, and later on visits from people in their bubble.
She is still in disbelief at the death of her husband.
“It’s a shock and I think people still have to stay safe and be very careful where they are, and everybody should get vaccinated,” she urged.
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Extending my deepest condolences to Nadya and to all those friends and family in the community.
Given what the world has been through for nearly two years, it stings when it hits so close to home and to someone who did their very best to practice all precautions and public health recommendations.
It is the height of selfishness at this point to continue to resist Covid-19 vaccination. Particularly when the excuse given is “religious exemption.”
With the Omicron variant set to sweep the world, perhaps this is a good time to extend the vaccination passport program here in Ontario and nationwide.
My dear Nadya. I can’t tell you how deeply I feel about the loss of your sweet man, Kim. You have always been the model of two soul mates finding each other. I treasure the times we shared in each other’s homes, with community of like minded spiritual seekers. I am still here for you, to offer support and to share in your time of great loss, to perhaps lighten your burden. Blessings to you and your family at this time.
Our heartfelt sympathies on the loss of your best friend,Kim was a lovely man and will be sorely missed by all.
Love
Dave&Marsha
Hi Nadia
We are so sorry to hear of the death of your husband Kim
We had so much fun with you both in our dancing years and such great memories
We loved you both very much God Bless
Harvey & Verna
Well said Drew. Nadya my deepest sympathies to you at this most difficult time. Kim will be very much missed in our community and at Trinity.
People please get vaccinated! An unvaccinated person who carries the virus is FAR more likely to transmit Covid because their viral load is so much more than a vaccinated person who is infected. The vaccine is an added layer of protection. It’s like the goalie protecting our net, it’s not foolproof but it sure helps and reduces the severity of Covid in the vast majority of cases.
DeKim was a treasure of a person, and so are you Nadya.
The science has told us from the beginning that vaccinations:
– reduce the chance of hospitalization due to COVID;
– reduce the chance of death due to COVID;
– reduce the chance that you will spread the disease to others.
All those are fabulous things, but they are not a guarantee of immunity. And the immunity you get from vaccination declines fast over time. So you still need to use masks and distancing if you want to do your best.
It is illogical and wrong to say that because the vaccine is not perfect it’s useless.
Ray Vowels seems to miss the point. If Nadya had not been vaccinated she most likely would have ended up in hospital and possibly worse. Yes definitely vaccinate AND continue to mask and avoid selfish unvaccinated people.
Nadya Tarasov: Though we have never met, Tricia and I extend our deepest sympathies for your loss.
I comment here to encourage everyone to be vaccinated, with the booster when it becomes available, for we seniors in particular.
I do not wish to add to your distress, but might I encourage any anti vaxxer(s) among us to choose a less painful time for your ‘told you so’ moment. No one every claimed that the vaccine was perfect. Nothing is. Mr. Lambert was doing his best to stay safe.
Again, might I extend our condolences.
Thank you, Tamara, for helping convey our message.
This is sad when anyone dies from any cause. But when a person is vaccinated against a virus then they should have nothing to worry about. But in this case it seems it makes very little difference if you get vaccinated or not. The best protection is using your head wearing a mask and staying away from people as much as you can because even people double vaccinated can still spread this virus and that is the scary part right now because they think they are safe so don’t practice precautions.
So sad! He WAS a lovely man. Our sincerest sympathy on your loss.
Thank you for your courageous pro-vaccination statement.
RIP, Kim.