KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer and father-to-be from Santa Clarita, Valentin “Val” Martinez, has died after battling coronavirus.
Martinez, 45, was a loving partner to Megan Flynn and soon-to-be the father of twin boys that are due in November, according to a GoFundMe by his friend, Shannon Bevers.
“Today we lost Officer Valentin Martinez, who tragically fell to COVID-19,” said LAPD Chief Michael Moore on Twitter. “He worked as a patrol officer within LAPD Mission, dedicating his life to the people of L.A. To his partner Megan, his mother, and siblings—our deepest condolences.”
He was the first sworn officer in the LAPD to die after contracting coronavirus, according to the department.
In late May of 2020, Martinez tested positive for COVID-19. It is believed he contracted the virus at work, Bevers said in the fundraiser.
“Val is a valued colleague within the Los Angeles Police Department and has served our community since 2007,” Bevers wrote.
Martinez fought COVID at home for one week before being rushed to Henry Mayo Hospital in Santa Clarita with worsening symptoms.
He was transferred to the ICU at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica on June 10 in order to be placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, or life support, as his symptoms grew worse, according to Bevers.
“Val fought for his life every hour, but unfortunately, at 5:33 a.m. on July 24, Val passed away. All of the doctors who cared for Val did an amazing job and we are very, very grateful,” she wrote. “Please help by donating to Val’s memorial fund, which will go to Megan and their twin boys.”
Martinez and his partner weren’t married yet, and her health benefits and other expenses will no longer be covered by LAPD, according to Bevers.
“As you can imagine, Megan has a lifetime of expenses ahead to raise their beautiful boys,” she said.
To donate to the GoFundMe visit here.
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Very sad! My condolences to the Martinez family! We all must take this terrible virus seriously and for everyone’s sake wear your mask and keep your social distance!
Condolences I can’t believe people are losing their lifes. This is a nightmare.
My heart goes out to Megan and Vals family during this terrible time. My deepest condolences out to you all. ??❤️
So sad. Of course Trump said we’ll be fine. He should see this story.
Blame China, not President Trump. What’s he supposed to say, give up you’re all going to die?!? Of course he has to stay upbeat. He knows people are dying. He also knows that the death rate is less than .039%. Not that any death is acceptable, but this certainly is not President Trump’s fault. You gotta stop hating and use your energy and words for positivity.
Trump cult is full of deniers, conspiracy theories and dumbsh*ts
Trump left it up to the states, our wonderful Gov. gel head Newsom & Mayor Garshity, who as always just committed more upheaval!! How is Trump supposed to know all the idiosyncrasies of each state!? Although he is aware of the degeneration of all the cities/states ruined by Liberals—not an opinion, Facts!! The groups that are having horrible spikes is due to genetics or BEHAVIORS!! Stop blaming Trump and honestly look local and the groups that constantly have bad behaviors/lifestyles!!
Thank you JoJo well said? As many Demos/libs want to blame Trump for everything and forget about the poor family that just lost an amazing officer, probably protecting others due to the protestors that should had stayed home.
Great article, everything is taken from the Go Fund Me. Shannon might be his friend, but she is Megan’s sister as well. Why don’t you speak to the family?
He didn’t die of the Chinese Flu everyone knows this. We aren’t stupid. Stories like these are meant to Scare people into believing we are all going to die if we get it. If Tom Hanks didn’t bleed out his ears and eyeballs then a VAST Majority WON’T either. #Facts
Like joseph stalin said, The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic.
I’m just wishing he’d of married his pregnant girlfriend so she could get benefits. Raising twins alone is no picnic
This is an important reminder to get married before you start having children. Their birth expenses would have been covered if Val had been married
I so agree and thought the very same thing. So many children are being born out of wedlock and denied benefits that they are only eligible for if their parents had married, very sad. His bereaved partner would have also been better protected financially through marriage. Ladies you need to think about issues like this before entering into a relationship, no one’s life is guaranteed.
God bless his family! I’m so sorry for their loss.
It would be nice to know if his doctors were respectable enough to place him on a non politically correct treatment such as hydrocycloroquine and zinc