New Arlington councilmember Raul Gonzalez, wife recovering from COVID
Raul Gonzalez, District 2 Arlington city councilmember, tested positive for coronavirus and experienced mild symptoms, he shared on Facebook on Monda and in an interview with the Star-Telegram.
He received word of his diagnosis days after his wife, Kerry Gonzalez, tested positive Jan. 10.
Raul Gonzalez said he experienced drowsiness and a brain fog that made multitasking difficult — symptoms he said were mild compared to Kerry’s high fever, aches and pains.
“I’ve been lucky,” Raul Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez, his wife and their two children will quarantine in their bedrooms until Friday, Gonzalez said. Kerry will donate convalescent plasma, which is used to help treat people struggling to recover from COVID.
After encountering people not wearing masks or following social distancing guidelines at events, Gonzalez said, he and his family stopped going out, except for Sunday church services held at 25% capacity, dining out during slow restaurant times and UT Arlington games where attendance did not surpass 400 spectators. Gonzalez, longtime administrative director for Dallas law firm Passman and Jones, said he has been particularly cautious about putting coworkers at risk.
“I think it’s important that people realize anyone can get it. It’s not made up,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez was elected in November to represent Southwest Arlington as District 2 councilmember. He’s the third elected city leader to announce a positive COVID diagnosis. Ruby Faye Woolridge, District 6 councilmember said she tested positive earlier this month, and Mayor Jeff Williams said he tested positive Dec. 23. Both Williams and Woolridge have recovered.
