New Berlin man who died from coronavirus remembered as loving husband, father, and grandfather

 

NEW BERLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Jillian Stancevic said her father, Michael Rissky, loved everyone, especially his eight grandchildren. 

"And they all loved him so much, that's the hardest part of all this," said Stancevic. 

He was a husband and father, including to a son who died when he was a baby. 

"He's up in heaven now, with Kevin."

Rissky went to the hospital last Friday after trying to beat what he thought was a cold for about a week. 

"But then it got to the point where he was scared, and that's just unlike him, so they were directed to go to the ER," said Stancevic. 

His family could not be with him, but his daughter did get to say goodbye. 

"It was a beautiful goodbye, as crazy as that sounds, I can't explain it. There were more people in that room than my dad, so it was a beautiful goodbye," she said. 

A goodbye to a man who loved the life he lived, Stancevic said. He retired at 55, but before that worked for the VA and spent time in the military himself as a medic. 

He was also a sports fan, who spent time traveling, as well as in his yard. 

"We lived down the block, so you know walking by their house, seeing him outside and our kids getting excited to see him," said Stancevic. 

A chance for him to see those grand kids he loved, that loved him just as much.