Butera Manager Dies 1 Day After Wife Taken Off Ventilator

ELGIN, IL — Emilio Cuahquentzi, the manager at a Butera grocery store in Elgin, lost his battle with the new coronavirus last week — just one day after his wife, Elizabeth, was taken off a ventilator at the same hospital where the couple had been fighting the virus together, according to a friend of the family. Shortly after both were admitted to Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, they were put into medical-induced comas to allow their bodies to health, according to a GoFundMe set up to help cover the couple's medical expenses and media reports.

From the get go, Emilio, 50, of Rockford, struggled more in his fight and suffered kidney problems, which required dialysis, according to the GoFundMe page and media reports. After both were placed in a medically-induced coma, Elizabeth began to get better and woke up a couple days late. But Emilio did not.

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At that time, a ventilator was providing Elizabeth with 30 percent of the oxygen she needed, according to a GoFundMe update on April 24. Her husband was stable but needed a ventilator to give him 60 percent of his oxygen needs.

Days later, Elizabeth celebrated her 42nd birthday, and, on April 29, was removed from her ventilator. She left the intensive care unit in style as the Rocky theme song played and medical personnel rolled her in her hospital bed down the hall.

"As many of you know Elizabeth celebrated her 42nd birthday yesterday. Our Father God gave her the best gift he could during this time, and that was the removal of the ventilator," Lisa Ramirez, a close of friend of the family, wrote on in an April 29 GoFundMe post.

On that same day, Emilio remained in a coma.

"He is fighting hard to overcome COVID-19. We continue to ask that you pray for his recovery, and that our Father God give the physicians the wisdom needed to treat him," Ramirez wrote. Ramirez also asked that people "refrain" from reaching out to Elizabeth "until Emilio is better and home."

"We want her to focus on her recovery and helping Emilio with his recovery," Ramirez wrote.

Emilio died the next day on April 30.

Emilio leaves behind his wife, Elizabeth, who is now recovering, and two children, Paola, 20, and Josue, 23, according to the Daily Herald. The couple met when both worked at the Butera store in the Clock Tower Place in Elgin and would've celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary next year.

Emilio worked at Butera locations in Algonquin, Roselle and Bartlett over the years, eventually being promoted to store manager, and would've celebrated 30 years since he was initially hired this July, according to the article.

The GoFundMe fundraiser has brought in more than $12,500 as of Thursday afternoon.Those wishing to donate to the family can do so on the GoFundMe page.

More via GoFundMe and the Daily Herald