Each Monday morning for the past four years, a group of retirees has come together in Sydney’s northwestern suburbs.
“It was advanced singing around the piano. We have a lovely, lovely neighbourly time,” one participant told SBS News.
Among those lending their voice was an 86-year-old man, lovingly described as a “hoot” and “great company” by those who sang alongside him.
“He was a gentleman who was always out walking. He was an accountant. When we set up our singing group a few years ago he joined us and we’ve been singing with about eight or nine others," his friend remembers.
Despite being of relatively sound health, authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the man had died in hospital having contracted COVID-19, taking the national death toll to six.
The man was last seen by his singing companions a little over a week ago on 9 March - when he uncharacteristically sat out of the usual group activities.
“Hindsight is a great thing, he was very late for our last singing meeting. We didn't think anything of it. It was only afterwards that we found out he was actually ill,” his friend tells SBS News.
“My husband said at the time he thought he didn't look too good.
“There was nothing really obvious because the coronavirus just didn't enter our head.
"That's changed a lot in two weeks of course."
‘I nearly fell over, I was like a stunned mullet’
Despite the seriousness of the situation, news of the man’s diagnosis did not quickly filter through to his singing compatriots.
“We didn’t catch up with the news for a few days and I went along to an embroidery group that is run by the man’s wife,” his fellow singer told SBS News.
“It was there that I was told he was in the hospital on a ventilator with coronavirus. I nearly fell over of course. I sort of looked like a bit of a stunned mullet."
In the immediate days that followed, the man’s friends monitored his progress closely.
The man had been receiving treatment in hospital when he showed early signs of recovery. Source: AAP
“We rang his wife and she was very worried. He wasn’t in a very good place. That was relatively early on.”
As the days went by, the man’s family and friends were cautiously optimistic about him making a full recovery, but that was to be short-lived.
“We heard last weekend that he was improving. We got quite excited by that and thought that’s the way it should be,” the friend said.
“And then he died.”
‘A lecture on self-isolation’
Rocked by the developments, the man’s fellow singers quickly reflected on the risk to their own health.
“I was given a lecture on self-isolating - and I thought I should.”
The woman and her husband, who is also a part of the singing group, began a period of quarantine and have since been monitoring their own welfare.
“My husband was on the phone to the health department and they put us on a list. Since then, they’ve been contacting us each day to make sure we don't have any symptoms (of coronavirus).
“As far as I know none in the singing group have that which is good.”
‘Entirely too close to home’
After more than a week of shock and uncertainty, the close-knit singing group has been left to ponder an ensemble that is now missing a beloved face.
“He had a beautiful Maurice Chevalier bass-baritone voice,” the man’s fellow singer told SBS News.
“We’ve set up a WhatsApp connection and that's been pinging madly for a week or two now. It's been a very community-building experience with a very expensive price to pay.
The man’s friends have credited his worldly mind for helping to build such a supportive network
“His ability to fit in with everybody and have something to say and his knowledge of the world was fantastic, he was a great asset to the group,” she said
“We’re pretty much appalled (by his passing) and it's entirely too close to home.
A timely warning
As the man’s friends look ahead to an uncertain future, something as simple as paying tribute remains difficult to forecast.
“We don’t know when the funeral will be. Is it going to be three months, six months? We have to wait and see.”
“We have an agreement that we will all be a part of it of course when it happens.”
The community has since offered its condolences to the man’s wife, who is being consoled by relatives.
“I believe they have a very warm and supportive family and I believe they are looking after his wife,” his friend tells SBS News.
The latest coronavirus death in Australia has prompted calls for everyone to seriously weigh up the threat posed by COVID-19. Source: AAP
“He was involved in many things so I suspect we are not the only ones in shock and sadness.”
The man’s friends say the shock loss of a beloved member of the community is a timely reminder for all Australians to take their health seriously.
“We’re very privileged to have nearby neighbours and friends to support us technologically.”
“If you can devise a way to be isolated that does seem to be helping. All the smart countries are doing it. If we can find a way to flatten the curve so to speak, our interests will be served.”
Of the 565 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, 46 people have recovered and six have died.
As of Tuesday afternoon, only people who have recently travelled from overseas or have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case and experienced symptoms within 14 days are advised to be tested.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, don’t visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
