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A veteran Ohio firefighter died from complications of COVID-19 Tuesday.
Warren Fire Lt. Don Beauchene, 54, began suffering flu-like symptoms two weeks ago, and he was diagnosed with the virus when he was taken to the hospital on Nov. 10, WFMJ-TV reports. Beauchene became unresponsive four days later and was placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit before dying earlier this week.
Because of COVID-19 protocols, Beauchene's wife, Michelle, was unable to visit him in the hospital. She was able to talk with him via Zoom hours before he died.
"When I told him how much I loved him and miss him and couldn't wait to see him, he put his hand up in sign language and motioned I love you to the nurse, so she could tell me that he loved me," she told WFMJ.
Beauchene had been with the Warren Fire Department for more than 25 years. He had helped in the aftermath of both Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina and was a volunteer at the Warren Family Mission.
"He went out of his way, everyday, to make me feel loved," said Michelle Beauchene, Don's wife. "I'm like in shock but yet trying to be strong. I'm just really missing Donnie."
The Beauchenes had 11 children ranging in ages from 35 to 4. They adopted two of their four adopted children in 2018
"He was the best dad a daughter could ask for," Madison, the Beauchenes 22-year-old daughter, told WFMJ.
A Meal Train page has been set up to help the Beauchene family.
