Gary Shirley's Mother Diagnosed With Coronavirus

During troubled times, sometimes kicking back and catching up with your favorite reality show can take your mind off things. It can be easy to forget that the cast members of the show are just as risk of being affected by a pandemic as anyone else.

Unfortunately, Amber Portwood‘s first baby daddy Gary Shirley is proving this. He’s now sharing that his mother was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Credit: MTV

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Although many people around the world are able to stay home from work and school to help flatten the curve, not everyone is so privileged. Many “essential workers” are not receiving any compensation for staying home, and must report to work in order to make ends meet.

Among them, it seems, is Gary Shirley‘s mother.

Now, he’s opening up about her upsetting diagnosis.

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“This Mother’s Day is a little hard because my mother is very sick,” Gary shared via Instagram. “A week ago she was diagnosed with Covid-19. her line of work puts her at a higher risk since she was working in activities and house keeping at an assisted living facility.”

He went on, “my wife and I have been trying to help by dropping off food (curbside) so she could focus on getting rest. We haven’t hugged her in about 3 months & we haven’t had her over inside our home about 3 months. This has been extremely hard for all of us.”

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Gary explained, “Our youngest daughter has an immunodeficiency disorder where she gets sick so easily so we have stayed home and took this quarantine very seriously. We have had to go to store[s] a few times (kid free of course) however, I knew my mother would be exposed at some point due to her job which was very worrisome itself.”

He continued:

“Now, with a confirmed case of covid-19 we are worried more and limited on what we can do to help. She has good days and of couse bad days like today. Her and Jody live together and I knew it would only be a matter of time before he would get it, and of course…. I believe he has it now. He has the symptoms, but hasn’t had the test yet.”