HIGHLAND, Calif. (KABC) Leroy Martinez is a big believer in celebrating birthdays. The Highland veteran and grandfather of seven loves to celebrate each one of his family and friends with a serenade on his guitar. On his day, he normally likes to go big to mark the occasion. When he was teaching he would actually take a little cake with him, he would take a birthday hat with him and he would put on his tuxedo and that was his way to celebrate, said Irene Martinez, Leroy s wife.
But this year Leroy will spend his 74th birthday in the hospital with COVID-19. Both Leroy and Irene caught the virus in December after visiting the home of a cousin who was on hospice care.