Each day, we are learning more and more that the novel coronavirus is not a game, and no one is exempt—no matter money or status.
Just hours after Tyler Perry paid for groceries during “senior hour” at Kroger stores across Atlanta, the movie mogul learned some devastating news about one of his crew members.
In a post on social media, Perry shared that Charles Gregory, a hairstylist that had worked with his production company for many years, lost his battle with COVID-19.
“Today it’s with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of one of our crew members. Mr. Charles Gregory was a hairstylist that had worked with us for many years,” Perry wrote on Instagram.
“The man was warm, loving and hilarious. We all loved to see him coming and hear his laughter. Charles lost his battle with COVID-19 today. It saddens me to think of him dying this way. My sincerest prayers are with his family.”
The Emmy-nominated celebrity hair stylist and wig designer, who worked with both Perry and Viola Davis, revealed on March 25 that he was diagnosed with the deadly virus, writing in an Instagram post, “This is no joke people.”
In his post, Perry plead for Black Americans to take the coronavirus seriously.
“While everyone can contract this virus it is Black people who are dying from it in much larger numbers,” he wrote. “This thing is real, Black people.”
“Black people, we are at a disproportionately higher risk of dying from this virus. Please, please, please, I beg you to take this seriously. You have to socially distance yourself,” Perry continued. “That means stop hanging out, stop congregating, stop doing anything that will put not only your life in danger but also the lives of so many others.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Gregory.