Friends and family of 40-year-old Jason Kolin are grieving after the Lackawanna man passed away from COVID-19 on Wednesday.
"THAT'S THEWORST PARTABOUT IT, NOTBEING ABLE TOEVEN SEE HIM ORANYTHING LIKETHAT SINCE ITHAPPENED"A MAN WHOSEBATTLE WITHCOVID-19 JUSTENDED WASLOOKINGFORWARD TO THISWEEKEND MORETHAN MOSTFOOTBALL FANS INWESTERN NEWYORK.GOOD EVENING.JASON KOLINPASSED AWAY ONWEDNESDAY --LESS THAN AMONTH AFTER HECONTRACTED THEVIRUS.HE WAS JUST 40YEARS OLD.TONIGHT -- HISFRIENDS AREOPENING UPABOUT THE MANWHO LOVEDWESTERN NEWYORK -- ANDLOVED HISPITTSBURGHSTEELERS.AND HIS DEATH ISALSO SERVING ASA WAKE-UP CALL.LAST DECEMBER.THIS GROUP OFGUYS WENT DOWNTO PITTSBURGHTO WATCH THESTEELERS TAKEON THE BUFFALOBILLS.JOHNWALSH/JASON'SFRIEND "IT WASVERY COLD WEWERE NOTDRESSED FOR THEOCCASION."ON THE LEFT.JASON KOLIN,FROMLACKAWANNA.
ABUFFALO GUY, BUTA LIFELONGSTEELERS FAN."HE'S ORIGINALLYFROM PA SO HE'S ASTEELERS FAN BUTHE STILL ROOTS ALITTLE BIT FORTHE BILLS."EVERY TIME THEBILLS ANDSTEELERS PLAYEACH OTHERIT'S A BIG GAMEFOR JASON.
HEHAD THISWEEKEND CIRCLEDON HIS CALENDAR.ON WEDNESDAY.JASON DIED OFCOVID-19."HE WAS AT HOMEONE DAY AND HEWAS SO OUT OFBREATH HE HAD TOCALL THEAMBULANCE EVERSINCE THENFIGHTING THEBATTLE.
HE WASON A RESPIRATORFOR A WHILE."HIS FAMILY SAYS ITSTARTED WITHHARSH FLU-LIKESYMPTOMS. HEWAS ADMITTED TOMERCY HOSPITALIN SOUTH BUFFALOON NOVEMBER20."HE WASEXTREMELYSTRESSED ABOUTTHE FACT THAT HEWOULD BE GOINGUNDER THEVENTILATOR"JASON WAS ON AVENTILATOR FORMORE THAN TWOWEEKS."HE PASSEDQUIETLY BUT THEYCOULDN'T SAVEHIM.
THEYCOULDN'T CUREHIM"JASON WAS FORTYYEARS OLD.
HISPASSING, ON THESAME DAY THEUNITED STATESREPORTED MORETHAN THREETHOUSANDCOVID-19 DEATHS."WE WERE ALL SODEVASTATED.
ALOT OF US DIDN'TTAKE IT SOSERIOUS.
WEKNEW IT EXISTEDBUT UNTIL IT HITSCLOSE TO HOMEIT'S REALLY.
IT'SREAL.
AND IT'SREALLY SAD."HE'S REMEMBEREDFOR BEING FULLOF LIFE.
HE HAD ANUMBER OFFREELANCEJOBS.
HE WASOUTGOING,ALWAYS SMILING,AND READY TOGIVE THE SHIRTOFF HIS BACK."YOU KNOW YOUCALL HIM AT 4AMTELL HIM YOU'RESTRANDED IN THEMIDDLE OFNOWHERE ANDHE'S THE KIND OFGUY THAT WOULDGET OUT OF BED,HOP IN THE CARAND COME GETYOU."FRIENDS, NOWHOPING TO FINDSOME WAY TOSAFELY HONORJASON ON SUNDAYNIGHT WHEN HISTWO FAVORITETEAMS, TAKE THEFIELD.JASONS FRIENDSAND FAMILY, BOTHSHARING THEMESSAGETONIGHT... TOWEAR A MASK...FOLLOW
Alabama photographer creates 'Portraits of Honor' for state's World War II veterans
