MACON, Ga. — Friends and family of Emma and Roger Stembridge, a couple battling COVID-19, came together Thursday night for a blue light vigil planned to put smiles on their faces and show support.
Amy Nelson is a close friend of the Stembridges and she says their battle with coronavirus has its ups and downs.
"Emma is doing well, she may even end up coming home tomorrow. Roger is fighting for his life," she said.
Nelson worked with Roger at a probation office in 1998, and says that he basically took her in.
"I learned to love him to death, he's like a father figure to me. He's the one who trained me in probation," Nelson said.
Kathy Smith is also a close family friend who says Roger and Emma are perfect for each other.
"Mrs. Emma, she has got a wicked sense of humor, and will make you laugh, and will keep you on your toes," she said.
Roger is a Marine, a retired Macon police officer, a retired Macon probation officer, and was working as a court bailiff when he got sick. Emma is also veteran.
Nelson says that it was because the couple loved to protect and serve that she organized a blue light vigil for the two.
"With the coronavirus, there's not a lot of things you can do for people to help them so I thought this is one of the few things that we can do to show our support for both of them," she said.
Smith says she hopes this vigil warns people about the dangers of coronavirus.
"I feel bad for them because you go through life, you do what you're supposed to do, you work hard, you retire, you're supposed to enjoy life... and now they're hit with something like this and it is absolutely awful," Smith said. "It's not just something we can shrug off and act like it will go away and it's not going to affect us, because it does. It affects everyone, and we need to take it serious."
The vigil was held October 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the entrance of Coliseum Health's front parking lot.