Hana Horka was a well-regarded Czech folk singer. She was a member of one of the oldest Czech folk groups still active, Asonance. She died at the age of 57 from COVID-19.
According to her son Jan Rek (23), Horka had become influenced by the anti-vaxxer movement. Rek says that, because of her refusal to get vaccinated, she decided the best pathway to get a pass to travel and play at venues requiring proof of vaccination or recent infection was to catch the virus herself.
According to the Guardian, Rek along with Horka’s husband, both vaccinated, caught COVID-19 just before Christmas. Horka refused to isolate from the two men—in order to expose herself to COVID, as well. The Guardian reports that two days before her passing, Horka posted on social media: “I survived … It was intense. So now there will be the theatre, sauna, a concert … and an urgent trip to the sea.”
According to her son, two days after that post, Horka said she wanted to go for a walk but then her back began hurting. The New York Times reports that the family rubbed ointment on her back and Horka went to lie down in her bedroom. Ten minutes later, she had died. “This is how fast it was.”
Rek spoke with multiple news outlets to mourn the loss of his mother, and to warn others of how insidious the anti-vaxxer movement is. “If you have living examples from real life, it’s more powerful than just graphs and numbers. You can’t really sympathize with numbers.”
He said his mother’s brand of anti-vaxxer beliefs had nothing to do with grand conspiracy theories concerning micro-chips, but with the belief that natural immunity was better. “I know exactly who influenced her … It makes me sad that she believed strangers more than her proper family.” And he saved his anger to direct at those peddling misinformation and fear. “You took away my mom, who based her arguments on your convictions. I despise you.”
Rek said that his father and he had tried many times to convince Horka to get vaccinated, but it was no use, and would usually result in high emotions and distress. The BBC reports that the Czech Republic’s fully vaccinated rate is “around 63%.” The average rate throughout the European Union is 69%.
Here is Horka performing “Down by the Sally Gardens,” back in 2014. It’s a song created out of a W. B. Yeats poem, and sung beautifully by Horka.
YouTube Video
According to her son Jan Rek (23), Horka had become influenced by the anti-vaxxer movement. Rek says that, because of her refusal to get vaccinated, she decided the best pathway to get a pass to travel and play at venues requiring proof of vaccination or recent infection was to catch the virus herself.
According to the Guardian, Rek along with Horka’s husband, both vaccinated, caught COVID-19 just before Christmas. Horka refused to isolate from the two men—in order to expose herself to COVID, as well. The Guardian reports that two days before her passing, Horka posted on social media: “I survived … It was intense. So now there will be the theatre, sauna, a concert … and an urgent trip to the sea.”
According to her son, two days after that post, Horka said she wanted to go for a walk but then her back began hurting. The New York Times reports that the family rubbed ointment on her back and Horka went to lie down in her bedroom. Ten minutes later, she had died. “This is how fast it was.”
Rek spoke with multiple news outlets to mourn the loss of his mother, and to warn others of how insidious the anti-vaxxer movement is. “If you have living examples from real life, it’s more powerful than just graphs and numbers. You can’t really sympathize with numbers.”
He said his mother’s brand of anti-vaxxer beliefs had nothing to do with grand conspiracy theories concerning micro-chips, but with the belief that natural immunity was better. “I know exactly who influenced her … It makes me sad that she believed strangers more than her proper family.” And he saved his anger to direct at those peddling misinformation and fear. “You took away my mom, who based her arguments on your convictions. I despise you.”
Rek said that his father and he had tried many times to convince Horka to get vaccinated, but it was no use, and would usually result in high emotions and distress. The BBC reports that the Czech Republic’s fully vaccinated rate is “around 63%.” The average rate throughout the European Union is 69%.
Here is Horka performing “Down by the Sally Gardens,” back in 2014. It’s a song created out of a W. B. Yeats poem, and sung beautifully by Horka.
YouTube Video