It’s part of a Yahoo News Series to honor some of the American lives lost by COVID-19. Their stories are told by family and friends, who are left to deal with their sudden and painful death.
Dennis Brandao (77) of Osterville, Mass., Passed away on January 26, 2021 after becoming ill with COVID-19. He is one of more than 556,000 Americans who have died from the disease since the first known fatal death in the US in early 2020.
Brandao’s daughter, Denise Harris, told Yahoo News that her father was a loving husband, father and grandfather. “He had a heart of gold and a smile that illuminated worlds,” Harris said.
“There was no one closer to me. We just had a special kind of relationship. “I was always a daddy girl, and to this day, you know, I always will be,” Harris added.
Brandao lived on Cape Cod most of his life. For nearly 40 years, he has owned and operated Dennis-John Formals, a chain of tuxedo stores. His daughter says he was a popular figure in Osterville, and was known for being a sharp dresser.
Harris described her father as a hard-working person. After retiring from his business, Brandao became a security guard at a shelter for women and children housed homeless in nearby Hyannis. Harris also worked there, saying her father was loved among the staff and residents of the shelter.
After completing his midnight shift, Brandao drove for Uber and Lyft. Harris says it was a fun concert for her dad who ‘loved driving and being with people’.
In early January, Brandao acquired COVID-19. Twelve days after she tested positive for the virus, her father began experiencing shortness of breath and he was cheating. He was admitted to the hospital for almost two weeks before losing his battle with the disease.
Harris, the only child, says it was devastating to lose her father. As a way to face her grief and honor her father and other victims of the Cape Cod COVID-19, Harris is creating a flag memorial at the airport in Hyannis.
“It’s just a way for families to know that their loved ones are being cared for, and it’s just a way to honor them,” Harris said.
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