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Through conversations with their family members, colleagues and close friends, MPR News is remembering the lives of the people we’ve lost, too soon, to COVID-19. If you’d like to share the story of someone you’ve lost to COVID-19, please email us at 

More than 800 Minnesotans have died from COVID-19. 

This pandemic has changed the way we grieve and mourn. We can’t hug our family and friends, and services have been postponed or streamed on video. 

On this special broadcast, MPR News wants to acknowledge Minnesotans who have died from COVID-19.

You’ll hear from their family members, and two grief experts will weigh in with advice on how to cope. 

Remembering lives lost to COVID-19

In a mess of COVID-19 feelings, don’t overlook grief

MPR News host Angela Davis spoke with Mark Razidlo. He is the son of Conrad Razidlo, a prominent local ad man and artist who died on April 13. He was 85.

 had a long and successful career in advertising. He was an early partner at Carmichael Lynch and then ran his own agency for more than 20 years. He also dabbled in politics, helping create former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson’s ad campaign for Minneapolis City Council and then for governor.

Ad man for arts support, 'world-famous' pasta

MPR News reporter Dan Kraker tells the story of Pastor Craig Breimhorst, who died on April 16.

Craig Breimhorst was the kind of guy who would walk into a room, and within 10 minutes was friends with everyone — which came in handy when he started his own church in Faribault over 30 years ago. He was Rice County’s first victim of the coronavirus.

His son, Dane Breimhorst, said his dad was “the most compassionate man on the planet.”

  MPR News reporter John Enger spoke with Haweya Farah, the daughter of Mohamed Omer, who died on April 29.

Civil war scattered Mohamed Omer’s family more than 30 years ago. He spent his life trying to unscatter them. Just a few years after finally arriving in Minnesota, he died of COVID-19. 

“I just sat next to him and talked,” Farah said. “I read him the Quran. I didn’t want him to feel alone.”

A daughter's complicated goodbye to her father

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More than 800 Minnesotans have died from COVID-19. This pandemic has changed the way we grieve and mourn. On this special broadcast, we want to take time to acknowledge this moment we are living in and share stories of Minnesotans we lost to COVID-19. 

Remembering Minnesotans we've lost to COVID-19

Acoffin of a person who died of COVID-19.

John Thys | AFP via Getty Images 

Conrad Razidlo, 85, died of COVID-19 on April 13, 2020.

Courtesy of the Razidlo family

Craig Breimhorst, a Lutheran pastor from Faribault.

Courtesy of  Dane Breimhorst

Mohamed Omer died of COVID-19 on April 29.

Remembering Minnesotans we've lost to COVID-19

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