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Whole Foods worker dies of virus
By Thor Jourgensen | April 18, 2020
LYNN — The Swampscott Whole Foods employee who died Wednesday from coronavirus is a popular St. Joseph’s Church, Lynn congregation member.
The store chain announced Leon Marin’s death Friday morning without naming the Lynn resident.
“Whole Foods Market is mourning the loss of a member of our community who passed away on April 15, 2020 due to COVID-19. Our hearts are with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and with his fellow Team Members at our Swampscott, Mass., store. We are offering counseling support to our Team Members as we grieve this tremendous loss.”
Juan Marin said his 53-year-old father got sick three weeks ago with a cough and fever. Family members urged him to go to a local clinic from where he was transferred to Boston Medical Center
“That was the last time I spoke to him. I begged him to come home,” Marin said.
A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Leon Marin moved initially to East Boston before moving his family to Lynn 10 years ago. He is survived by his wife, Amparo, and two other sons, Ivan and Alex.
“He loved his family so much. He sacrificed everything for us and did his best as a father to get us through school, put food on the table and educate us to be good people,” Juan Marin said.
He said his father worked at Whole Foods for about a year and loved the job.
“It distracted him from problems like health and bills. He was always smiling and laughing,” he said.
Former Swampscott Whole Foods employee Marco Sontan said Marin worked in the store’s kitchen.
“He was a really nice guy — really funny — this is absolutely insane,” said the Lynn resident.
Sontan left his Whole Foods job in February and said he was told by a former co-worker that the store kitchen was cleaned after Marin became ill.
“But people may have come in contact with Leon,” he said.
In a statement, Whole Foods said the Swampscott store has undergone daily cleanings and “multiple professional deep cleanings.”
Marin was an active St. Joseph’s Church member who, his son, said became more religious beginning three years ago.
City of Lynn officials in a Friday updated list stated that 21 city residents have died from coronavirus, two more than the previous day. The update did not name the deceased. A Lynn Walmart worker who was also a Salem Market Basket employee died last week. Vitalina Williams, 59, was hospitalized on March 28 and Market Basket confirmed her death on April 7.
A gofundme page established for Marin’s family listed $11,516 in donations on Friday evening.