In an interview with African American news portal The Grio, St. Louis native U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters revealed that her sister had passed away following a battle with COVID-19.
“It is one of the most painful things that I’ve ever had to experience in my life,” Waters told The Grio in an interview that was published on Thursday. “She had suffered. And so, we are going through a very difficult time. It was not easy, but in many ways, I’m so glad she’s out of pain.”
The news came weeks after she revealed her sister’s illness on the House floor when she argued for legislation to provide financial support for individuals and businesses impacted by the pandemic.
“I would like to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister, who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Mo., right now infected by the coronavirus,” Waters said last month.
Rep. Waters said that her sister was living in an assisted care facility when she contracted the virus.
“The nursing home is the only place we have for many of our seniors, many of whom have outlived their families,” Rep. Waters told The Grio. “That’s where they go. And now these nursing homes are like a petri dish for the continued development of this virus that is killing us.”
Information from The Grio contributed to this report.
