Washington Co. husband, father of 3 dies from COVID-19

DONORA, Pa. — Only one word can describe what this Donora family is going through; heartbreak.

Their loved one, Devin Taquino, is the first person in Washington County to die from COVID-19.

His family told Channel 11′s Melanie Gillespie his symptoms were so unique, that by the time he was diagnosed, it was too late.

“His stomach was still upset and he wanted Gatorade because he thought it would make him feel better and so I text him to let him know a friend of ours was dropping it off and he never answered me,” Rebecca Taquino said.

That was the last conversation Taquino would have with her husband, Devin, before he was put on a ventilator at West Penn Hospital.

“They wouldn’t let anybody come in with him so we dropped him off at the emergency room door and that was the last time we saw him,” Taquino said.

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The 47-year-old father of three died from COVID-19 on April 10.

His wife said Devin wasn’t showing the typical, known symptoms, and was seemingly healthy.

“He started with what we thought was a stomach virus and he had a fever with it but we still thought he had a stomach virus and started feeling poorly by Friday night and by Monday he was fine,” Taquino said.

Devin got worse and was admitted into the hospital by Wednesday.

He died two weeks later.

“Unless something comes up in his autopsy, as far as we know, my husband didn’t have any preexisting conditions that would make him a candidate for somebody to get this sick. We know he had sleep apnea, you don’t know how it’s going to strike hard,” Taquino said.

The couple just marked their 19th wedding anniversary three days before he died. Taquino said her husband’s outgoing personality is leaving a huge hole in a lot of hearts.

“He was a humongous nerd, and he was proud of the fact he was a huge nerd. I don’t think anybody who ever met Devin didn’t like him,” Taquino said.

She and her son have also tested positive for coronavirus and they presume their two youngest also have it, but they aren’t showing any symptoms.

Taquino said they can’t really pinpoint where he may have contracted COVID-19, but said she never thought her family would be ripped apart by this pandemic, and that’s why she’s sharing this message:

“It’s just a matter of taking precautions and being smart about the time you do spend outside your house and being smart around other people because it obviously impacts more than just the senior community,” Taquino said.

She said her family will remain in isolation for at least the next two weeks.

Obviously, they can’t have a funeral right now, but there is a way you can help: Click here to visit the family’s GoFundMe page.

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