Edgar Ramirez is heartbroken. After losing five loved ones to coronavirus — three of whom passed away this weekend — the Jungle Cruise star has had it with anti-vaxxers and is now channeling his “pain” into a powerful plea for action.
On Wednesday, the Point Break alum penned a vulnerable letter to followers on Instagram in which he detailed the deaths of his Venezuelan-based family members and colleagues — all of whom died without ever gaining access to a vaccine. The latest of these losses were his aunt Lucy and uncle Guillermo.
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Opening up his statement, the 44-year-old begged followers to read “carefully” because the following letter is the “most painful and the most intimate thing” he’s ever written, explaining on Instagram:
“I beg you to please read this post carefully. It is the most painful and the most intimate thing I have had to publish in my life, but I think it is important to share it. At times I feel like it is a nightmare from which I am going to wake up, but I know it is not. That this is as real as the air that at this moment it is difficult for me to breathe.”
Just last week, the Emmy-winner announced that his uncle had been hospitalized for a month and was “barely stable.” His aunt, who contracted the virus more recently, was declining rapidly, as well. Their deaths now come at the one-month anniversary of his grandmother Bertha‘s passing, as well as four months after he lost his agent and “dear friend” Laureano.
Only his aunt Nidia (whose brother-in-law Rafael passed on Monday) was able to recover from the infectious disease, which he noted was possible because she was “fortunate enough to get vaccinated.” No other family members were afforded this life-saving opportunity because their small town doesn’t have enough available.
We simply cannot imagine the pain of losing so many loved ones at once, but the actor provided some insight into his well-being, continuing:
“My heart can’t just take more pain. I am sad, I am frustrated, I am devastated. It’s been weeks and weeks of my family being played, tortured and jerked around by this cruel, treacherous and violent disease which mercilessly ended up killing them all. I can’t stand this void in my chest, this metallic taste in my mouth, this crippling headache that doesn’t seem to soothe.”
What makes the whole thing possibly even more devastating is that the star has watched anti-vaxxers fight against the shot that his “family would have taken in an instant.” The Undoing actor expressed:
“None had access to a vaccine in Venezuela. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of vaccines are being thrown away in the United States because a large number of people don’t want them. It breaks my heart that so many people in this country are willing to snub the very vaccine my family would have taken in an instant.”
Wow. Makes our heart hurt thinking about it. Read more of his update here:
The Yes Day star also shared a 10-minute Q&A he recently led with Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden‘s chief medical advisor, during which he relayed questions from people in his community to help ease concerns over the vaccine and give an update on best safety practices these days. Attempting to “turn this horrendous loss and pain into positive action,” Edgar urged viewers to watch and share the “vital information” with their own friends and family.
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You can watch the important conversation (below).
We’re sending so much love to Edgar and his family in this unimaginably difficult time. We seriously hope his devastating losses shows how seriously important it is for people to get vaccinated! It really is such a privilege and the best thing we can do to end this pandemic (and save lives)!
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