Arizona woman channels rage into activism after father's COVID-19 death

By Lauren Gilger
Published: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 - 12:19pm
Updated: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - 12:48pm

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Kristin Urquiza
Ben Giles/KJZZ
Kristin Urquiza at a vigil for her father, Mark “Black Jack” Urquiza, at the Arizona Capitol on July 8, 2020.

On July 15, 97 deaths were reported from COVID-19, bringing the total death count in Arizona to 2,434 people. While we aren’t often able to report it, each of them has a name, a family, a story.

One of them was Mark Urquiza. His daughter, Kristin Urquiza, wrote his obituary after his death.

It started out normally — Mark was a 400-meter-dash state champion, a lover of nature, and the life of the party. But then it becomes a little different:

“Mark, like so many others, should not have died from COVID-19,” she wrote.

Vigil For Arizona Coronavirus Victim Aimed At Gov. Doug Ducey

He died, she said, because of the carelessness of politicians who refuse to acknowledge the severity of the crisis at hand and give clear direction to mitigate risk.

Kristin joined The Show to talk about how she is channeling her sadness and rage into activism. 

Photos at the vigil for Mark “Black Jack” Urquiza,
Ben Giles/KJZZ
Photos at the vigil for Mark “Black Jack” Urquiza, at the Arizona Capitol on July 8, 2020.

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