A Fort Worth man died alone on his couch at 37. He had coronavirus, a test revealed.
The symptoms were mild at first, but by the time Glenmar Gabriel’s family knew he tested positive for the coronavirus, it was too late.
He was gone, at the age of 37.
He died on April 5. His test results came back April 6.
Though he tested positive, a medical examiner’s report states the cause of death is pending. Gabriel’s loved ones may not know the results for several weeks, possibly months.
They know that he had been in good health, and that he died alone on his couch.
Some of the many sad scenarios created by the coronavirus are the families left to wonder why and how their loved ones died, while knowing they did so alone.
Known lovingly to his family and friends as “Boss Gee,” Gabriel had a love of beaches and traveling. He liked to say, “A day at the beach gives me space to dream.”
Gabriel lived in the Fort Worth city limits, just south of Euless, and worked at DFW International Airport in the fleet service crew for Envoy, a subsidiary of American Airlines.
His is a COVID-19 case where there are more questions than answers.
Mild symptoms
Gabriel was scheduled to fly to the Philippines on March 18 to visit his girlfriend of four years, Jit Guevarra. On March 15, the Philippines essentially locked down, and Gabriel was forced to cancel his trip, which was scheduled to last for more than a week.
He and Guevarra spoke regularly, often using FaceTime.
“When he started hearing the news that some of his colleagues tested positive, he kept on telling me that he should have insisted to come to the Philippines and just stayed home with us,” Guevarra said in an interview via Facebook messenger.
On Thursday, March 26, Gabriel complained of having migraine headaches. Over the weekend, March 28 and 29, Gabriel told his girlfriend he had a low grade fever. She advised him to see his doctor, which he did.
Gabriel took medicine for blood pressure, but was an otherwise healthy man.
A flu test was negative, and the doctor told him to take a test for COVID-19 in Flower Mound. Gabriel took the COVID-19 test on March 30, and was expecting to know the results in seven days.
Guevarra said Gabriel never complained about his condition turning worse. When asked if he possibly downplayed how he felt so as not to alarm Guevarra, she said, “Knowing him? Yes.”
Gabriel returned to his job at DFW. On March 26, after telling Guevarra about continued migraine symptoms, she suggested he leave work early.
He was given a sick note to cover the week of March 30 through April 6.
On the evening of Saturday, April 4, Gabriel joined Guevarra in an online rosary session. Gabriel started to cough to the point where Guevarra suggested he turn off his microphone.
After the rosary was finished, Guevarra said, “I told him to just rest, and if you feel anything to call 911 right away. That was the last time I spoke to him.”
Concerned, she called throughout the night. There was no response.
Fearing the worst, she called one of his friends, who went to his apartment in the morning and knocked on the door.
With no response, Gabriel’s friends called the Fort Worth Police Department, who told them because there had been communication within the last 14 hours they could not break into the apartment.
Shortly thereafter, Guevarra called Fort Worth police again. On the second occasion, the Fort Worth Fire Department and an ambulance arrived. According to a police report, a person who called 911 said Gabriel’s ringing phone could be heard outside his door. But the blinds were drawn, so no one could see inside.
“I was watching it on FaceTime with one of his friends who was holding the phone,” Guevarra said. “The police officer came out and said, ‘I am so sorry for your loss.’”
According to the medical examiner’s report, Gabriel was pronounced dead on his living room sofa at 11:35 a.m. on April 5.
“I was hoping he died in his sleep,” Guevarra said.
On April 6, Gabriel’s mother, Maria Gabriel, called for her son’s COVID-19 test result. It was positive.
Homicide Sgt. Joe Loughman said Gabriel’s death is being investigated as a medical issue.
According to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner, the results from the autopsy may not be known for 90 days, or possibly longer. The manner of death and cause of death are listed as pending.
Gabriel leaves behind a large extended family, and a 10-year-old daughter who lives with her mother in Hawaii.
Where did he catch COVID-19?
As Gabriel’s family and loved ones wait to learn if COVID-19 took his life, they also want to know where and how he contracted it.
They have their suspicions, but they will never know.
Guevarra said Gabriel had expressed concerns about working at DFW Airport, where hundreds of flights arrive daily from all over the world. He worked on the planes with the clean-up crews for Envoy.
According to reports in the Star-Telegram and Dallas Morning News, more than 30 TSA agents and grounds crew workers at DFW Airport have tested positive for COVID-19.
A public Facebook page titled, “Covid Airport News for all DFW Airport employees” was created on April 5.
It’s a public forum dedicated to DFW Airport employees expressing concerns about their work conditions, and the possibility that some of their co-workers have contracted COVID-19 on the job.
In response to questions about Gabriel, as well as employees’ concerns about workplace conditions, the airport released a statement on April 9 to the Star-Telegram that said, in part, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of a partner employee at DFW Airport, and we are mourning along with the family and co-workers. DFW Airport continues to follow cleaning and sanitization guidelines as outlined by the CDC.”
A representative for the Transport Worker’s Union, of which Gabriel was a member, said American Airlines, Envoy and DFW Airport were up to CDC code to ensure the safety of the employees.
Guevarra said Gabriel told her he was able to use gloves, but retaining a mask was hit or miss. The union, DFW Airport and American Airlines all acknowledged there were initially shortages of gloves and masks for their employees.
The union said that in the last week employees do have sufficient personal protection equipment, be it from the airlines or employees providing it themselves.
Moving On
After initially struggling to find where Gabriel’s body was taken, Gabriel’s family was able to plan a funeral.
On April 16 at Mount Carmel Funeral Home in Irving, a small number of Gabriel’s family attended an interment service. It was livestreamed so family and loved ones could watch online, which they did from Texas to California to Hawaii to the Philippines.
Gabriel’s body was cremated, and buried next to his brother, Gerald, in Irving. During the service, two family members were allowed to attend at the grave site. Everyone else could only watch online.
Gabriel is survived by his mother, daughter Irene, siblings Geoffrey and Geniece, and stepfather Mario.
“Once this pandemic is over, we will fly to the States and probably offer a Mass and visit his grave,” Guevarra said. “Until I see his grave, I don’t think I’ll have a closure. I’m trying to cope up, but it’s not easy. He’s a very good man. He’s my everything.”
Staff writer Nichole Manna contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
