ABOVE: PJ McClelland, photo via McClelland’s Facebook page.
BRANDON, Fla. | PJ McClelland, 37, died April 11 from COVID-19 complications after publicly chronicling their illness on social media.
According to the Facebook posts, McClelland was first screened for the coronavirus in late March after their neighbor tested positive and they developed symptoms. McClelland advised they tested positive March 27.
“Dear family, friends, acquaintances, and people I don’t know but are somehow on my friend list,” they shared. “I have tested positive for COVID19. I’ve already contacted everyone who needs to be tested because of this.”
McClelland subsequently shared observations about their prognosis, noting they were “getting sicker by the day” as if they had “a migraine, bronchitis, and the full all at once.” They made the post public to encourage others to socially distance and stay home, as well as to have virtual interaction with others.
You can read the posts below, which Watermark cautions may include graphic details or language:
According to Tampa Bay NBC affiliate News Channel 8, McClelland’s mother advised their child was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea but had no other underlying health conditions. The outlet noted that McClelland did frequently smoke, however, which more than 100 organizations have warned leaves members of the LGBTQ community more vulnerable to COVID-19.
“COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that has proven particularly harmful to smokers,” a letter initiated by six LGBTQ-focused health organizations reads. It was drafted by the National LGBT Cancer Network, GLMA: Health Professions Advancing LGBTQ Equality, Whitman-Walker Health, SAGE, the New York Transgender Advocacy Group and the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance.
They noted that members of the LGBTQ community have been shown to use tobacco at rates that are 50% higher than the general population. “Our smoking rates alone make us extremely vulnerable and our access to care barriers only makes a bad situation worse,” they explained, citing additional factors including discrimination in health care.
On April 7, McClelland offered to assist others seeking COVID-19 information via Facebook’s COVID-19 Information Center. “I’m currently battling COVID19, and I’m all alone under mandatory quarantine,” they wrote. “I know I’m not the only one. If you are feeling lonely, you can message me here, or text or call me … We may be separated, but we’re all in this together!”
In their final post, dated April 9, McClelland shared a number of harrowing concerns and details. “I can safely say this has been the longest, and some of the worst, three weeks of my life,” they wrote. “BUT I only have 1-3 more weeks to go of batting the #beast. Then up to 6 more weeks of quarantine. I know I’ve said this, but it bears repeating: I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m NOT saying I’m out of the woods yet. I’ve seen far too many cases of people who were on the mend in the morning and died that night.
“Keep the (virtual) contact coming!” they concluded. “Every time you call, text, message, video chat, etc., it cheers me up so much.” The post has been shared more than 1,000 times as of April 16, with readers offering their condolences and thoughts.
View it in full below:
“Everybody who met PJ became a friend, and it’s been evident in the outpouring of support since their passing,” McClelland’s longtime friend Tim Ross shared with News Channel 8. “Please stay home. That’s all PJ wanted.”
As of April 16, the Florida Dept. of Health reports that Hillsborough County has 873 cases of COVID-19, with 18 deaths. For the latest updates about the coronavirus’ impact on the LGBTQ communities in Tampa Bay and Central Florida, view Watermark’s frequently updated coverage here.
