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Families battling COVID share how they're staying positive this Thanksgiving

Posted at 10:12 PM, Nov 26, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-26 22:12:21-05

(WXYZ) — This Thanksgiving, 12-year-old Justin Moore from Taylor is looking on the bright side, celebrating the holiday at home with his Mom.

"We had a turkey, normal thanksgiving meal and we kinda just celebrated what we’re thankful for I guess,” Justin said. "Some other things we’re thankful for is my Dad is still here. He’s not doing amazing right now.”

His dad is in the hospital battling COVID 19. He’s on oxygen, and Justin hasn’t seen him in days.

“We’ve been able to visit him through the window, but that’s about it," Moore said. "We haven't been able to see him.”

Now both and he and his mom also have the virus. However, they still made their own Thanksgiving meal, made some big cookies and even put up the Christmas tree. Not once, but twice after their cat knocked it over.

“We've been trying to do a lot of activities to keep ourselves happy,” Moore said.

If not from the Moore’s, take the advice from 77-year-old Madeline Kempa. She’s a cancer survivor, who just added COVID survivor to the list.

While hospitalized with her husband Chet, the couple still found a way to celebrate their 51st anniversary.

“You know this virus is not all doom and gloom, there is a rainbow at the end and you just gotta be strong,” Kempa said.

It’s strength we find in ourselves that has got us this far into the pandemic, but it’s strength we find in others that will get us through to the end.

“Just tell yourself you're not gonna give up, it’s going to be better tomorrow," Kempa said. "I know that’s what I’ve done, besides saying a lot of rosaries!"