An ex-Washington State trooper who was dismissed because he refused to receive the COVID vaccine — and later went viral with the form of a video in which the governor was told to “kiss my ass”–has passed away after being diagnosed by a coronavirus. Two relatives of his told The Daily Beast.
Robert LaMay, 50, was a hero for anti-vaxxers in the month of October after he defied the mandate of the state and was one of the dozens of troopers who lost their jobs due to it.
From his car, LaMay filmed his final goodbye, saying “This is the last time you will hear me from a state police vehicle. Also, Jay Inslee can kiss my body.”
Afterward, he said to reporters that he did believe in the vaccine despite the overwhelming evidence of its safety and effectiveness in protecting against severe diseases.
The husband of four stated that he also waited for a signal from God to get the vaccine, but he never received one as well said that the government shouldn’t mandate vaccinations (even even though the government has long demanded other vaccines).
“You should not be forcing this,” the man said to KOMO at the moment. “If you start forcing things like this what’s next?”
After having left the patrol, LaMay began media appearances and public speaking engagements, at one point pleading for money to fuel in a GoFundMe post. In an article in a profile article shortly after his resignation, LaMay said he was employed as a traffic flagger.
Jeffrey Thomas, a cousin who was interviewed by The Daily Beast that his mother was keeping him up to date about LaMay’s health after he was admitted to the hospital around four weeks in the past. Thomas was told that LaMay was in a ventilator for a while before passing away from the virus at about three p.m. the previous Friday.
“I was kind of in shock,” Thomas, 52, told. “I believed it was caused by the flu or some other cause. I was shocked to find out that it was a COVID-related issue.”
Thomas says that LaMay’s family had an aversion to religion towards the vaccine and preferred home-cooked food and remedies over over-the-counter remedies.
“They’re old-school medicine,” he explained. “They lived on farms which meant they had to do everything on a farm. They took care of everything by themselves.”
He told me he’d been waiting that his cousin’s health would improve, though he was unable to discuss whether he believed LaMay was due for the shot.
“He didn’t deserve to go out like that,” he declared.
Another source who was familiar with the situation has told The Daily Beast that LaMay was admitted to a hospital with COVID-related pneumonia prior to his death. KIRO Newsradio has previously confirmed that the death was due to COVID.
“The amount of bashing and trashing him is heartbreaking,” the source added.
The Washington State Patrol announced LaMay’s death on Friday but did not mention COVID. Chief John R. Batiste declared that the Chief found himself “deeply saddened” by the news of LaMay’s passing.
“Rob served honorably for over two decades and we were disappointed to see him leave the agency this past October,” he stated in an announcement. “His service to this state and agency will be long remembered and appreciated.”
LaMay joined a growing list of anti-vaxxers who are vocal, from politicians to radio hosts who have passed away from the coronavirus. As an indication of how toxic the debate has become, anti-vaccine activists have taken to the internet to mock the death of LaMay.
