Through the Window Looking Glass for Months and Now Reunited

For much of this year, COVID-19 has dramatically altered everyone’s lives across the world, including in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Families have been kept apart, behaviors have changed, and life has been put on hold. 

Such has been the case for Dr. Al Russell and his wife of almost 56 years, Mrs. Carol Russell, of Alamo, Texas. Mrs. Russell was the very first resident of The Heights of Alamo, an award-winning community. Due to COVID-19 restrictions for all skilled nursing facilities, Dr. and Mrs. Russell, whose medical diagnoses include Alzheimer’s-based dementia and Parkinson’s, could only visit through the window of Mrs. Russell’s room separated by necessity, glass and a brick wall. “The window visits were hard because my wife is no longer able to talk, and I could not touch her,” said the 77-year-old Dr. Russell. Thankfully now they can sit next to each other inside Mrs. Russell’s room. “We are truly grateful,” Dr. Russell added.

The Heights of Alamo is a premier skilled nursing facility located at 1214 South Alamo Road in Alamo, Texas in Hidalgo County. “To Dr. and Mrs. Russell and to all our residents and their family members, we say a heartfelt thank you for your patience during these trying times and your ongoing trust in us to work tirelessly to try and keep your loved ones safe as we live out our mission of glorifying God,” commented Arturo Avalos, Human Resources Director for The Heights of Alamo.