U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters confirmed to the media that her sister passed away on Sunday, May 10, as a result of complications from the coronavirus.
The venerated California congresswoman, D-Los Angeles, had recently asked friends and family members to pray for her sister. Waters’ sister was living in an assisted living facility when she contracted the extremely contagious respiratory disease.
Waters, 81, even dedicated her support for the Healthcare Enhancement Act on April 23 to her sister’s fight for her life against COVID-19.
“I’m going to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, right now, infected by the coronavirus,” Waters said at the time.
.@RepMaxineWaters announced on the House floor that her sister is in the hospital and dying of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/9GhKM1gXFr
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 23, 2020
Waters told TheGrio.com that her sister, whom she declined to name, will have her homegoing services in St. Louis, where the congresswoman was born and raised.
“It is one of the most painful things that I’ve ever had to experience in my life,” Waters told the outlet. “She has 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.”
