Longtime Indiana interventional radiologist who never missed a day on the job dies from COVID-19
The novel coronavirus recently claimed the life of a longtime Indiana radiologist, according to published reports.
Franklin Sequeira, 72, of Cicero, Indiana, died on June 1 from COVID-19, after first testing positive for the virus in early April. He had spent just shy of 40 years working for Radiology of Indiana in interventional imaging and never missed a day on the job, according to an obituary. He is survived by his wife Deeya, seven children and two grandkids.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for contributions to his youngest daughter’s education fund, which had already raised more than $7,000 as of Friday afternoon.
According to the GoFundMe page, Sequeira tested positive for COVID on April 1 and was admitted to the intensive care unit April 6. Providers placed him on a ventilator April 9 and he battled for weeks before passing this month, the family said.
“Frank, being the determined man that we all know and love, fought every day to improve his condition. After two months of fighting, Frank’s body could no longer compete with the complications caused by the virus,” the page stated, later adding: “While our hearts are breaking and we are in pain, we are also comforted in knowing that Frank is no longer suffering and is today at peace...”
Nearly 70,000 healthcare workers in the U.S. have contracted the coronavirus and 368 have died, according to the CDC. Those include David Wolin, MD, a radiologist in breast imaging at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.