It was a drama that played out in real-time. The kind you couldn't turn your eyes or your heart away from, even if you'd tried. Young, vibrant and jovial twin doctors contracting and dying from Covid, the second before the first was even cold.
There have been almost 200 deaths from Covid since March, and while each was its own private tragedy, some have played out publicly on the national stage - and registered on an emotional Richter scale from ripple to shockwave.
And this weekend felt like the ground beneath all our feet gave way when the Gurerra brothers died.
They weren't ministers of government, religious leaders, or celebrities, but theirs is the most human of stories.
Their great service was honored countrywide last night with the wail of sirens at 6:00 pm and motorcades in different communities, as a communal remembrance of Kevin and Kenneth Guerra. Cherisse Halsall stood on the street between the lit candles as a witness to the gravity of that tribute.
It was a moment meant to stop time, the howl of over a dozen sirens, and the blaze of their lights strobing across the twilight.
Motorcades like this were held countrywide to honor the memory of fallen frontline Heroes, Dr. Kevin and Kenneth Guerra:
Dr. Melissa Diaz, Acting DHS
"This has been a very difficult few days for the ministry of health family, for the entire country as you right said on a whole. We are here to mourn the passing of our fallen soldiers Drs. Kenneth and Kevin Guerra, the ministry of health and the wider health community we wanted to do something to symbolize our support and respect for his immediate family as well as for his health family, the families from Independence polyclinic and San Ignacio Community Hospital. Words cannot explain the sympathy that the our health community feels for losing these 2 very hard working dedicated doctors in their prime to this dreaded Covid19 and all I hear about them is how vibrant, how active, how funny they've been, how much they have been involved in their community and how much love and support that their patients have been given from them."
From Coney Drive it moved on to Princess Margaret Drive in front of the KHMH where doctors, nurses, and healthcare support staff held a candlelight vigil: A moment both shrill and stirring.
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez, KHMH Medical Ward
"We had this vigil because we want to reach out to the community to let them know that we as doctors we have been felt by this tremendous loss as well. It's not easy to lose anyone and worse when you are working in the field of medicine and you lose one of your own, it has even more of a bigger impact on you. We are celebrating the life of our own doctors."
Dr. Jose Moguel, Surgeon - President BMDA
"I am very sad for the grey and the depth of disaster in which our country is at. If there is anything that this disaster Covid has done is to bring us together. This display that you have seen is a display of love and support to the Guerra family shown by the whole nation."
It was a moment for somber reflection but also looking ahead to a future where doctors will continue to be exposed:
Dr. Jose Moguel, Surgeon - President BMDA
"It does really moved me, it makes me happy that we see such love display for our fellow Belizeans. Our doctors are deeply saddened by the loss of these 2 doctors. We knew it was coming, because of the deterioration of the services because of the surge in cases and because of the conditions in which our nation is at and still there are surges, there are shortages of PPEs, our doctors are overworked. We know from the various regions, central region Karl Huesner where we are we are now facing is really overworked, the whole hospital and I can say the entire nation all the regions north, south, east and west."
And while the doctors and medical staff gathered for tearful remembrances, after the candles went out and the sirens' red glow faded. It was time to re-glove, re-sanitize, and re-double efforts in the fight against COVID-19.
Dr. Melissa Diaz, Acting DHS
"What we want to do is to raise awareness of the support that we need from the entire community on a whole. This should not just be a response from the ministry of health, this should be a response from every single individual out there. Let us do our part. Let us follow the guidance of the ministry of health and let us stop the spread of Covid19."
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez, KHMH Medical Ward
"I just want to say to Belizeans let us adhere to the rules set by the government. Let keep the 6 feet distance, let's use our masks, let's stay home if we have to stay home, let go out of we really have to go out, because this virus is just getting worse and it will not stop by itself if we don't make a conscious effort to try stop this virus."
Dr. Jose Moguel, Surgeon - President BMDA
"The authorities should use all methods possible to try to control the pandemic whatever it takes."
