BEAUMONT, Texas — Over the last several months, coronavirus case numbers have risen, lives have been lost and many families are preparing for holiday without their loved ones as a result.
It's been seven months since a Southeast Texas family lost 44-year-old Beaumont pastor Christopher Segura to COVID-19 complications.
His stepdaughter Meagan Byrd said he was an important piece of their lives.
"He was more than just a father figure, you know, he was that guy, he was that man," Byrd said.
He touched the lives of many, especially his stepdaughters Makayla and Meagan.
"He was sent from God, you could tell he was a God-fearing man, he made sure we knew what Jesus said," Makayla Byrd said.
With the holidays approaching, things will certainly look different at the Segura house.
"We're not doing the big family gathering. It's usually here every year. My mom is probably just gonna cook something and it's just gonna be me her and probably my sister," Meagan Byrd said.
The decision comes after COVID-19 claimed her stepfather's life and put her mother on a ventilator.
She hopes families think seriously before planning big holiday gatherings.
"It's changed my life dramatically. Yes, it is an insult when people don't take serious, when they don't wear their mask, when they don't wash their hands, when they don't stay six feet part, it's kind of insult," Meagan Byrd said.
Texas became the first state to surpass 1 million coronavirus cases this week.
It's another reminder of the dangers of COVID-19.
"Cherish everyone that you have, love everyone, if you problem with someone just fix because you never know," Makayla Byrd said.
With Thanksgiving two weeks away, some doctors have suggested starting a 2-week quarantine now if you're serious about spending lots of time with loved ones indoors.