NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla. - A family in Florida is heartbroken and shocked after a fully-vaccinated, 58-year-old man with no co-morbid conditions died of COVID-19.
"He was a beautiful, handsome, strong, healthy, kindhearted guy who was loved by so many people,” said Jamie Konidare, Vincent Konidare’s wife.
A proud father and husband, Vincent Konidare loved riding his motorcycle, being near the ocean, and going on vacations with his family.
"It's unimaginable grief," said Jamie Konidare
Jamie Konidare met her husband Vincent in 1985 at the Palm Beach Post where he worked for 36 years.
Now, Vincent Konidare's family is left with his memories. But also questions like how a man they say had no preexisting conditions, who was fully vaccinated, could die from COVID-19.
"He did what he was supposed to do. He did what he was told to do,” said Jamie Konidare. “He was trying to protect his family and he just felt it was the right thing to do and he felt that if he did get COVID he would not die, that it would save him."
The CDC reports that as of October 4th, out of the more than 185 million fully vaccinated Americans, 6,617 people have died from COVID-19, which amounts to one out of every 25,000 fully vaccinated Americans dying from the virus.
The majority of those deadly breakthrough cases are people over 65. But Vincent was 58.
Also, none of the companies offering the shot, including Johnson and Johnson, which Vincent Konidare received, has ever claimed to have a vaccine completely effective at preventing death from COVID-19.
Jamie Konidare now has this message to everyone in the community, regardless of their vaccination status:
I would tell that person to go ahead and get vaccinated because I still feel like it's the right thing to do but to not let down your guard. You still need to wear your mask. You still need to stay away from super spreader events and follow all the other guidelines.
Konidare was hospitalized for more than a month before he died.
In addition to his wife Jamie, Konidare is survived by his two children.