COVID cancelling Christmas, families opting for virtual holiday: 'Life does not go as planned'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some holiday plans are cancelled this year with so many sick with COVID-19.

Chicago resident Chris Domrzalski sums it up as "life does not go as planned."

Domrzalski said he will only see his suburban parents via Zoom this year after testing positive for COVID. He was vaccinated but had not yet received his booster.

Illinois COVID cases: IL reports 18,942 new cases, highest since pandemic began, and 78 deaths

"I held out a little bit of hope that it was going to spare us the brunt of it until after the holidays but that was not the case," said Domrzalski.

This will be baby Evangeline's first Christmas in south suburban Tinley Park. But both her parents tested positive for COVID. They were supposed to get their boosters this week. They were also planning to host a family gathering but not now.

"It was just so sudden of a change we weren't anticipating this at all," said mom Jennifer Spellman. "Everybody wants to see a baby on her first Christmas so it's disappointing for us, it's disappointing for the people in our lives who don't get to see her."

Spellman said now they wearing masks around six-month-old Evangeline and watching her carefully

"I'm constantly checking her temperature looking at her in the monitor," said Spellman. "It's definitely nerve wracking even though they say they do well, there are always those exceptions."

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The Mayor of Darien has been working from home since testing positive for the virus. Outside of work, he's "Papa" to his grandkids but this Christmas will be without "Papa" in person.

"We need to take to time to get better so we can enjoy Christmases in the future," said Mayor Joe Marchese.

Mayor Marchese did have a booster and while he is not feeling well, he is grateful that he can be home and not in the hospital. He urges those in good health to appreciate their good fortune.

"Treasure that time you have with them knowing their are others of us who don't have that same opportunity with our family, enjoy that time you have with them," Marchese said.