Today, I wrote about how Chicago responded to the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. The city had social distancing rules similar to what we& #39;ve implemented now — and those guidelines saved lives and helped the city& #39;s economy bounce back.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/04/15/how-can-chicago-reopen-after-coronavirus-heres-how-we-did-it-after-1918s-spanish-flu/">https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/04/1...

Not quite a "fun fact," but the Spanish Flu killed my great-great grandpa, Walter Bauer, on Oct. 15, 1918. He was just 27 years old — the age I am now.

You can see him here with his family in front of an old Chicago two-flat. He left behind his wife and three young children.

His loss had a tremendous impact on his (our) family. It& #39;s generational.

His children and wife struggled without him — my great-great grandma ended up living in the projects, dying far too young while raising my grandpa.

I& #39;ve thought of him often lately and how scary those days must have been in Chicago — and throughout the world.

At the same time, I& #39;ve received bizarre emails from people downplaying the deaths from COVID.

Don& #39;t do this. Every life matters. Every life and loss has an impact.

My husband was only mildly sick with what we suspect was coronavirus a few weeks ago, yet even his minor illness terrified me.

My heart goes out to all those who have experienced a loss during this pandemic. Please do not downplay these tragedies. Remember the victims.