Husband writes wife heartbreaking letter before dying of COVID-19
"We had our time and it was wonderful," Billy Loredo, 45, wrote to his spouse.
Billy Loredo died Dec. 13 at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas. Shortly before his death, the 45-year-old emailed a letter to his wife, Sonya Kypuros.
"If I don't make it I want you to know that I lived a happy wonderful life with you and would never have traded it for all the riches in the world," Billy wrote in the letter, which his brother shared with "Good Morning America." "I also want you to be happy and continue to live your life without me and with no regrets. We had our time and it was wonderful."
Billy's brother, Pedro Loredo of Dallas, said Billy sent the message to Kypuros before being intubated.
"At that moment, me and her both realized, this is his final letter," Loredo told "GMA." "It's bittersweet. She got to receive her last love letter from my little brother and that breaks her heart in pieces."
Billy worked as an attorney and started his own firm several years ago. Loredo described his brother as a humble man with positive energy who loved celebrating Christmas with his family. The pair enjoyed hunting together.
"Billy was just a great individual. He set seeds in people's hearts and they just grew," Loredo said. "I'm going to miss his laughter. You could hear that laughter coming down the hall."
Billy tested positive for COVID-19 in November. On Thanksgiving, his health declined and he was admitted to McAllen.
Loredo, a doctor who owns his own practice, was receiving updates from a colleague who was working at the hospital.
Despite medical staff's attempts to save his life, Billy died at 12 a.m. Loredo said his brother has no underlying health conditions.
Loredo said that Billy was a romantic and would often send love letters to his wife.
Kypuros told ABC affiliate WFAA in Dallas that she's sharing her husband's final letter to remind people that COVID-19 is still a threat.
"I think he was trying to give me permission to be happy without him," a tearful Kypuros told the station. "That was hard to read. But he took care of me and took care of everyone so I'm not surprised he wrote that."
Here is Billy's note to Kypuros in its entirety:
I want you to know that I am fighting very hard every day for my life. I do it for you so that I can see you again. You are the most important person in my life and I miss you everyday.
I know I am not always the perfect man I want to be but I do my best. You for me have always been perfect even when I say you are not and I get mad. 99% of the time I am wrong and you are right and I love that.
If I make it through this I promise to be a better man, in God, in life, and as a husband.You have always deserved the best and I get a second chance I will do it.
If I don't make it I want you to know that I lived a happy wonderful life with you and would never have traded it for all the riches in the world.
I also want you to be happy and continue to live your life without me and with no regrets.
We had our time and it was wonderful. I love you and miss you very much. I will keep fighting.
Love, Billy.