Florida couple of 51 years dies from coronavirus nearly simultaneously

Adrian and Stuart Baker [Photo: CNN]

A Boynton Beach couple had 51 years of wedded bliss, yet the dread coronavirus killed both of them six minutes apart.

Stuart and Adrian Baker, 74 and 72 years of age respectively, were reportedly healthy until contracting the disease in the middle of March.

Despite the unprecedented nature of the coronavirus epidemic, the trajectory of their respective declines mirrored that of many elderly couples in their twilight.

Mr. Baker was hit hard by the virus, while Mrs. Baker was recovering, until she learned her husband was in the ICU, or intensive care unit.

As it became clearer that neither would recover, the two were removed from ventilators and placed in a room together, where they faded from this world just minutes apart.

Their son Buddy Baker, an agent for players in the National Football League, told CNN that  “until it touches you or touches somebody you know or you hear a story, you kind of feel removed from it.”

The elder Bakers’ trajectory of tragedy matches what many around the world have experienced, including an incomplete medical diagnosis that proved fateful.

“This is pre- the world shutting down, pre- the NCAA tournament getting canceled, so you’re still not thinking this is going to be something which is life threatening,” Buddy Baker said.

When Mrs. Baker began her decline while her husband was hospitalized, there was reason to believe that her issues were not coronavirus-driven, Buddy Baker added.

“We just thought that was the result of my dad being away from her for the last five days, which was very very very infrequent in their lives together,” Baker said.

The Bakers are just two of the 170 Floridians known to have died of coronavirus and related complications since tallies began to be taken last month.

All told, more than 10,000 people have tested positive for the dread disease in the Sunshine Stat