A 65 year old Peruvian driver named Hector Orellanqui has become the Messiah for the families of coronavirus victims who had died. Armed with a white overcoat and mask, he carries out the painful duty of delivering the ashes of those dead from COVID-19. Since their families can no longer carry out their traditional funeral services, this gesture has been hugely welcomed.
“I feel a pain inside, but I can’t break down while I’m giving the urns to the families. I have to give them support,” Orellanqui, the grey-haired man with two children.
Between April and May, Hector has delivered close to 200 urns containing the cremated ashes of the victims. He works at the Piedrangel crematorium, which has cremated over 3,500 people who have died from COVID-19. Before March 19 when the first fatality from COVID-19 was registered in Peru, the Piedrangel crematorium had 35 workers. Now there are 120 who work in three shifts, 24 hours a day, to meet the demand that continues to rise.
Peru stands eighth in the world with a death toll of 5,700 and a record number of 200,000 cases.