Community Supports Children After Losing Parents to Covid-19

DETROIT, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Nada and Nameer Ayram fled Iraq eight years ago. They escaped the nightmare of Isis for the American dream, but that dream has sadly come to an end.

Nada passed away on April 21, and the father Nameer passed away this past Monday May 11," said Renee Yaldo, chair of the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity.

Both losing their lives to Covid-19, as if the loss of a husband and wife to this virus was not devastating enough, the couple leaves behind three children: 20-year-old Nash, 18-year-old Nadeen and 13-year-old Nanssy.

"Now with their parents both deceased, they're going have to figure out how to live that new normal here in a country that they're familiar with, but still not their home country," said Yaldo.

With no family in the states 20-year-old Nash is forced to raise his two younger sisters. Yaldo says with the help of her organization and the Chaldean American community she going to assure he doesn't have to do so alone.

"The parents took care of everything, they didn't want to have the children have any kind of burden," said Yaldo.

Yaldo says a family friend set up a go fund me to support the children while both parents were in the hospital. But now that support goes deeper than just a financial need.

"Now we're really going to have to teach them life long skills, and teach them how to sustain themselves for the rest of their lives," said Yaldo.

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