LAFAYEYTTE — A Lafayette family is now working to effect change, after they were forever changed by COVID-19.
73-year-old David Guarisco died from COVID-19 complications earlier this month.
"His wife Gail and I were in the room when he passed. We were there to tell him we all love him, were all going to be ok, and it was ok for him to go" his son Peter Guarisco said.
He leaves behind an extended family who say they've been discouraged at the lack of compliance with the mask mandate in Lafayette even at the funeral home.
"Without a doubt, during the day, you'll see bad behavior" Guarisco said.
Guarisco says his father was full of life, a lover of the arts, supported local musicians, theaters and even played music himself. He says his dad's favorite place was Blue Moon.
"There was some time where if I wanted to see my dad, I would have to come out here to the Blue Moon, because he would be out here dancing. He was always up for cutting a rug" Guarisco said.
David was hospitalized on Christmas day. He died January 16th
"He could not recover from the damage in his lungs" Guarisco said.
The hardest part, Guarisco said, is seeing people without mask.
"It's infuriating" he added.
Now, he and his siblings are launching a campaign called Mask Up Y'all, .calling for people to be more compliant.
"We're trying to take the politics out of it, it just doesn't work, and we're trying to foster love that my dad had for the community, to spread that love to help Lafayette, to help Louisiana"
You can find them onFacebook and Instagram at maskupyall337.
