Flood of kindness
Francisco Eddie Moraga, a 90-year-old Wildcat who played baseball in the 1950s under Frank Sancet, and his wife Maria M. Moraga received nearly 200 letters and cards for their birthdays. Their daughter, Annette, who lives in San Juan Capistrano, California, posted a request to her neighbors on the Nextdoor app and in a matter of a few weeks, to their surprise, they received boatloads of beautiful cards and letters. They even received hand-delivered mugs from Sig Tau, a UA fraternity. My mom and dad “have carefully opened all the letters” and my mom is beginning to respond to many of the well-wishers.
It is so heartwarming to hear there are so many caring people out there that have taken the time to write to them. My family is so blessed to have both our parents. Both Eddie and Mary are well, despite their “aches and pains.”
Annette Moraga Drake
Northwest side
COVID vaccinations
OK, my patience is now running thin as to the unvaccinated. Shame on you and the selfishness of not respecting the pleasure and privileges of living in a social and gregarious community. Selfish for your family and friends, selfish for the very overworked health-care workers, selfish for the grocery and retail workers and co-workers that you come in contact with and selfish for those like myself who are compromised while the hospitals and urgent cares are overwhelmed with your ilk. Over 90% of the COVID-19 hospitalizations are unvaccinated persons. Deaths even greater. Heart patients, cancer patients, pregnant women are either denied admittance or shuttled to other locations for emergency services. Shame on you. Unless it is truly a religious or an honestly based health concern, please for dang sake get vaccinated. We must be committed to getting the whole world vaccinated or this pandemic will continue indefinitely as the virus continues to mutate. And you are the cause. Please be compassionate and do the right thing.
John Van Echo
West side
Drop bowl sponsor
I am truly disappointed that Friday’s Arizona Bowl was canceled due to COVID-19 issues. The amount of goodwill, charitable donations and local economy boosts the Arizona Bowl has brought to our area over the last six years has been admirable. I am much more disappointed by the association of the bowl with Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, the current title sponsor. Shortly before the official cancellation announcement, Portnoy tweeted “Nobody is dying from covid …” One of the replies to Portnoy’s tweet was from an IC nurse who treated three ventilated COVID patients the previous evening, one of whom was not going to make it. She said it clearly, “People not worried about COVID have been passing this to the vulnerable and killing them in droves for two years.” I urge the Arizona Bowl Committee to disavow themselves from Barstool Sports as soon as legally possible and make a statement condemning Portnoy’s dangerous rhetoric.
Mark Hanna
Foothills
