North Fulton high school athlete loses both parents to COVID-19 days apart

Justin Hunter (left) lost both of his parents to COVID-19.

Credit: GoFundMe

Credit: GoFundMe

Justin Hunter (left) lost both of his parents to COVID-19.

A metro Atlanta high school football player is working to honor his parents after they both died of COVID-19 just days apart.

Justin Hunter, 17, said he plans to dedicate his senior season to his late parents, Eugene and Angie Hunter, according to Channel 2 Action News.

The rising senior is a linebacker for the Johns Creek High School football team, Channel 2 reported. He told the news station his entire family tested positive for the novel virus just over two weeks ago.

Hunter said he was asymptomatic, but both of his parents had serious symptoms.

“They became very sick and they had the clear symptoms,” Justin Hunter told the news station. “Their temperatures skyrocketed. They had headaches. Horrible cough. They felt very lazy.”

At first, the family quarantined at home separately, the news station reported. However, when their symptoms got worse, Hunter’s parents called for an ambulance.

On July 26, the teen’s father Eugene Hunter died of COVID-19. Four days later, his mother Angie Hunter died in the same hospital.

Hunter said he and his parents all followed guidelines to avoid getting COVID-19. He told Channel 2 he doesn’t know how his family contracted the virus.

“We were a regular family just trying to stay safe during this pandemic,” Hunter said. “When my mom would go to the store, she would be wearing a mask and she would be wearing gloves.”

Hunter said his parents met in college and had been married for 35 years. He said they were both loved within their community.

“They were just loving toward everybody. No matter what,” he said. “If you had a problem, they would be there to help you. You know that they had very big hearts and they would give without even thinking about getting anything back.”

Hunter holds onto the memory of his last conversations with his parents.

His mother, who was 57 years old, told him she loved him. His father, who was 59, promised to keep fighting the disease.

“Basically, the last thing he said was ‘I love you and I’m going to get better and I’m going to keep fighting,’” Hunter said.

Hunter said despite his grief and shock, he wants to keep working to make his parents proud, Channel 2 reported.

“They never raised me to sit around and feel sorry for myself in any situation, and I just got to keep going and pushing,” Hunter said. “I know they’re happy up there and that’s what makes me happy.”

A GoFundMe set up to establish a trust for Hunter has raised more than $160,000.

“The Hunter family has been a shining light in the Denmark, Johns Creek and South Forsyth communities for such a long time,” the GoFundMe said. “The loss of Angie and Eugene this week has left us all with such heavy hearts.”

Hunter, who said he plans to live with relatives following the death of his parents, urged people in his community to wear masks.

“If you don’t wear it for yourself, then wear it for the next person,” Hunter said. " Because you could be saving that person’s life.”

Read the full story from Channel 2 Action News here.