Guam resident Sabine Chargualaf had been excited for her grandson, a US Navy sailor, to arrive for a port visit this week.
Her grandson, 20-year-old Brandon John Francisco, had brought some of his ship mates to Chargualaf’s home last time he was in Guam for a port call in February. This time, in preparation, Chargualaf and her husband had stocked up on meat, fish and octopus to let them try all kinds of food from the island.
Then the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt got hit with the coronavirus. More than 170 cases of coronavirus have now been reported onboard.
Francisco has been tested, and is awaiting the results. The whole family is anxiously waiting to hear back, said Chargualaf.
“My initial thoughts were, ‘Oh my God! Brandon. I hope everybody’s okay. That was my main concern,” she told CNN.
In the meantime, Francisco has been doing his best to stay in touch with his family, but it’s challenging; he is still on the ship, where the internet is spotty, and can’t go to the quarantine hotel set up onshore until the test results come back.
While they wait, Chargualaf had this message for her grandson and the sailors aboard the ship.
“You’re in my heart and I love you all even if I don’t know them, they’re part of my grandson’s crew and the military. It goes deep into my heart,” she said.