Everything About the Death of US Ex-Politician Colin Powell, Who Died of COVID-19 Complications

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen many celebrities, politicians, and other big names contract the coronavirus.

In most instances, these eminent individuals recover from their infections, much to the relief of their friends, fans, and family.

But sometimes, despite taking all the necessary precautions, they can still succumb to the deadly disease.

Everything About the Death of US Ex-Politician Colin Powell, Who Died of COVID-19 Complications

Colin Powell, the first black US Secretary of State (similar to Foreign Affairs Minister in Singapore), died yesterday (18 Oct) at the age of 84 due to complications from COVID-19.

Powell was fully vaccinated but suffered from multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. In addition to blood-clotting problems, multiple myeloma reduces one’s ability to fight off infections. Those who are immunocompromised are more at risk of falling severely ill from COVID-19, even if fully vaccinated. According to a close friend, Powell also had early-stage Parkinson’s disease.

Powell’s family broke the news of his death in a statement on Facebook yesterday.

“General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated,” the family said.

“We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American.”

Who Was He?

The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell had always been attracted to life in the military.

“I liked the structure and the discipline of the military. I felt somewhat distinctive wearing a uniform. I hadn’t been distinctive in much else,” he said in an interview with CNN in the early 2000s.

He began his long career serving the US government as a soldier on combat duty in the Vietnam War, where he was wounded twice, and slowly climbed his way up the ranks.

In 1987, he became the first Black national security advisor when appointed by President Ronald Regan. Then, in 1989, he became the youngest and first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush.

Powell was touted as a presidential candidate but said he had a lack of “passion” for electoral politics.

Despite having served three Republican presidents in senior posts in his career, Powell eventually grew disillusioned with the Republican party and declared his support for Barack Obama’s presidential bid in 2008.

He also voted for Hilary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016, calling the latter a “national disgrace and an international pariah.”

Former and current US leaders mourned the loss of Powell, with President Joe Biden describing him as a “dear friend”.

“Time and again, he put country before self, before party, before all else—in uniform and out—and it earned him the universal respect of the American people,” he said.

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