90 Day Fiance star Jason Hitch's sister, Shannon Speagle, is urging everyone to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 coronavirus that took her brother's life.
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Jason, who starred on Season 2 of TLC's 90 Day Fiance with his now ex-wife Cassia Tavares, died at age 45 in the ICU of a Florida hospital on December 14 after battling COVID-19.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Shannon told TMZ that Jason was not unvaccinated amid the still-ongoing coronavirus pandemic and had considered himself an anti-vaxxer.
Shannon expressed how she's devastated about her brother's sudden and tragic passing, and so she is trying to convince everyone to protect themselves from the virus as best as possible, which would mean three COVID vaccine shots -- two doses followed by a booster.
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Shannon, who is vaccinated, said her brother had assumed he'd be able to fight the virus quickly and easily because he was a healthy and fairly young individual.
Jason had allegedly even sent his sister misinformation about the vaccine supposedly not being effective, which resulted in a disagreement between the siblings.
Shannon told the website that during her final conversation with Jason, she begged him to get vaccinated because he had been planning to visit her and her children.
Jason had allegedly refused to get vaccinated and decided to instead just not to visit his family, and then he became ill.
Shannon initially didn't want to call Jason when he had contracted COVID because she said she didn't want it to seem like she was rubbing it in his face, but once the former reality TV star was hospitalized with a severe case, she flew to Florida to be by his side.
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Once Shannon and Jason reunited, Jason had already been sedated and put on a ventilator, TMZ reported.
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Shannon recalled it being the worst sight she's ever seen, and then Jason died last week while she was by his bedside.
Shannon told TMZ that she loved her brother deeply and the situation ended up being the worst "I told you so" moment she could ever imagine. She is now trying to prevent another family from going through the same pain.
Cassia also admitted on social media last week she was "shocked" by Jason's death.
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"It's always sad when someone you spent part of your life with stops breathing," Cassia wrote December 15 on her Instagram Stories.
"I guess one could never be prepared for that. I wasn't, today. When I started receiving messages, I thought it was a joke. I'm shocked. My condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace, Jason."
After news broke of Jason's death, TLC told E! News in a statement, "We are saddened to hear about the passing of Jason Hitch and send our sincere condolences to his family and friends at this time."
Jason was a 38-year-old from Spring Hill, FL, when he appeared on 90 Day Fiance.
Jason pursued love with Cassia on 90 Day Fiance when she was a 23-year-old from Curitiba, Brazil.
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The couple originally met on Facebook while Cassia was in an online relationship with Jason's friend.
Once that relationship ended, Jason and Cassia sparked up a romance and then she arrived in America on a K-1 visa.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER?' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Cassia relocated to the United States and moved in with her boyfriend and his father, but she and Jason separated in 2017.
In early 2018, Jason filed for divorce amid accusations of domestic violence, but he reportedly withdrew the petition in March 2018.
Jason tried to make his marriage work after dismissing the petition, but the pair failed to work out their issues.
Jason therefore filed for divorce again in September 2018.
Jason had opened up to RadarOnline that year about his decision to officially part ways with his Season 2 90 Day Fiance co-star and partner in life, saying their relationship lacked a "good foundation."
"A successful relationship is communication, physical attraction and doing whatever it takes," Jason told the website at the time.
"Right now it's time to go in different directions. I think we'll remain friends. She knows I have her best interests at heart."
Jason had said the divorce was mutual and "uncontested," adding "there will be no alimony payments" and there was "no fighting over anything."
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Jason had insisted, however, that Cassia married him for love and that she never used him for a green card to live in the United States.
"She did not come here just to become an American citizen," Jason had argued in light of critics. "She had a good life in Brazil. She was about to finish college. She didn't have to marry me."
Jason was later deployed by the Army in January 2019, but he said the deployment was not a factor in his divorce.
Jason and Cassia's divorce was reportedly quickly finalized about a month after he had filed in October 2018.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
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