Woman Loses Parents, Brother To Coronavirus While Husband On Life Support

Kelly Conkey Billups (center) with her husband, Don Billups (standing left), who is on a ventilator; her parents, Judith and Lewis (sitting), who died Tuesday; and her brother, David Conkey, who died Sunday



An Ohio woman says the coronavirus has “destroyed” her family — killing her parents and brother as her husband remains hospitalized on life support, according to reports.

Kelly Conkey Billups, 54, said COVID-19 first claimed the life of her 51-year-old brother, David Conkey, on Sunday before her parents, Lewis and Judith Conkey, died just hours apart Tuesday at a hospital, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

Her brother, who tested positive for the coronavirus several weeks ago, became ill in early March upon returning to his Austintown home after helping their 75-year-old mother settle in at a rehab center in Hilliard, the Dispatch reports.


Lewis Conkey with his daughter, Kelly Conkey Billups

Conkey Billups’ daughter, meanwhile, said she and her mother — who works as a realtor in Grove City — have not shown any of the flu-like symptoms that ravaged her family.

The grief, however, is almost overwhelming, she said.

“We’re hanging in there,” Katie Gardbrandt told WJW-TV.

“We’ve gotten a lot of prayers, support and love from all of our family, friends, several people we don’t know, as well as the hospital. And that’s really what’s keeping us going.”

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