Palm Beach Family Mourning After Vaccinated Husband, Father Died Of COVID

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/CNN) - A Palm Beach family is heartbroken and shocked after a fully vaccinated husband and father died of COVID-19.

"He was a beautiful, handsome, strong, healthy, kindhearted guy who was loved by so many people," said Jamie Konidare of her late husband Vincent.

A proud father and husband, she said Vincent Konidare loved riding his motorcycle, being near the ocean, and going on vacations with his family.

"It's unimaginable grief," said Jamie Konidare.

She met her husband in 1985 at the Palm Beach Post where he worked for 36 years.

Now Vincent Konidare's family is left not only with his memories but also questions, like how a man they said had no preexisting conditions and who was fully vaccinated could die from COVID-19.

"He did what he was supposed to do. He did what he was told to do. He was trying to protect his family and he just felt it was the right thing to do and he felt that if he did get COVID he would not die, that it would save him," said Jamie Konidare.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that as of October 4th, out of the more than 185-million fully vaccinated Americans, 6,617 people have died from COVID-19, which amounts to one out of every 25,000 fully vaccinated Americans dying from the virus.

The majority of those deadly breakthrough cases are people over 65, but Konidare was 58.

Also, none of the companies offering the shot, including Johnson and Johnson, which Vincent Konidare received, has ever claimed to have a vaccine completely effective at preventing death from COVID-19.

Jamie Konidare now has this message to everyone in the community, regardless of their vaccination status.

"I would tell that person to go ahead and get vaccinated because I still feel like it's the right thing to do but to not let down your guard. You still need to wear your mask. You still need to stay away from super spreader events and follow all the other guidelines," she said.

Konidare was hospitalized for more than a month before he died.

In addition to his wife Jamie, Konidare is survived by his two children.

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