JUDY WOODRUFF: As another
difficult week for
our country comes to a
close, we want to take
the time to honor just some of
the more than 180,000 people
here who have lost their lives
to the coronavirus.
Nelson Henry Jr. of Philadelphia
fought for more than 70 years
to get his honorable discharge
from the U.S. Army. The
World War II veteran was
one of many Black soldiers
given a less-than-honorable
and discriminatory blue
discharge, which made
it harder to get certain
jobs and G.I. benefits.
Nelson's son eventually found
lawyers to take up the case,
and, in 2019, just a year before
his death at 96, he was
granted an upgrade by the
Army. He called it a miracle.
Education was huge for Lucille
Anderson. Born in Minneapolis,
she worked multiple jobs to
ensure her kids had
every opportunity. When
her son had doubts about
applying to Harvard,
she scolded him: "Andersons
never quit. It's like a race.
Even if you fall down, you get
up and finish the race."
Lucille followed her son to
the East Coast, finished her
own degree, and became a social
worker and a probation officer.
She always emphasized how
important children were to
society, her son said. Lucille
Anderson was 94 years old
when she died in Minnesota.
In 1984, Carmen Williamson
became the first Black
boxing referee and
judge at the Olympics.
Carmen, who spent most of his
life in Toledo, Ohio, was a
top amateur boxer in the 1940s
and '50s. He would go
on to travel the world,
teaching the sport to
young people in countries
that white trainers
would rarely visit.
Carmen's daughter said
the 94-year-old wanted
to grab everything he
possibly could, and
never told himself no.
Seventy-two-year-old Liz Mar
opened the Hawaiian restaurant
Kona Kitchen in Seattle 18 years
ago with her daughter and
son-in-law. She was a warm face
that everyone knew and loved,
her daughter said. She made
customers feel like part of
the family. They would call her
auntie or grandma.
Liz came to the U.S. from Fiji
as a teenager. Her daughter
described her as selfless and
said she'd do anything
for her three children
and seven grandchildren.
Lennie LeBlanc was 45 years
old. He was born in Worcester,
Massachusetts, with cerebral
palsy. Lennie could never
walk or talk, but his mom said
he was always a happy child.
Lennie would laugh a deep belly
laugh, sometimes for no reason.
He lived most of his life in
a nursing home, where his
caregivers adored him. He loved
music and often spent time with
his family.
As of tonight, the "NewsHour"
has marked 100 Americans whose
lives we have lost to the
coronavirus. That's just
over the last 20 weeks.
We want to thank their
families for the stories
they have shared. Our
hearts go out to them
and to all those who've lost
loved ones in this pandemic.