アンジー・ハーモンさんのインスタグラム写真 - (アンジー・ハーモンInstagram)「Repost from @katiecouric • #FacesOfCOVID: April Dunn was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy. She was a model high school student - she made the honor roll every term, participated in Junior ROTC, and never missed a day of school. But she couldn’t pass the standardized tests that were required for graduation - and therefore didn’t receive a diploma from Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Nearly a decade later, after struggling for years to find fulfilling work, April became the driving force behind a state bill to provide alternative graduation paths for students with disabilities. Along with a group of advocates, she worked tirelessly - testifying in committees and meeting with legislators - explaining how being denied a diploma made her feel undervalued and shut her out of jobs and opportunities for which she was qualified. The bill, Act 833 passed unanimously in both chambers in 2014 and helped April land a job in the administration of Gov. John Bel Edwards. She was a highly respected presence in the state capitol, unafraid to call officials at all hours of the day to discuss her efforts. “She brightened everyone’s day with her smile, was a tremendous asset to our team and an inspiration to everyone who met her,” Gov. Edwards said in a statement. April fell ill with COVID-like symptoms in mid-March after returning from a work trip where she was helping people in southern Louisiana advocate for accessible and affordable housing. She tested positive for COVID-19 and died in a hospital on March 28. She was 33 years old. Her death highlights COVID-19’s merciless impact on people with disabilities and underlying health problems - who face vastly greater risks of hospitalization and fatal infection than the rest of the population. April was well aware of the dangers — in her last Facebook post, shared shortly after she developed symptoms, she uploaded a picture of herself and some friends with the caption “Only the vulnerable will be at risk. Your ‘only’ is my everything.” Rest In Peace, April. You mattered.」8月20日 4時37分