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MARGATE, FLA. (WSVN) - The family of a Margate doctor who became the first medical professional in South Florida to die from the coronavirus said they made a devastating discovery when they got his belongings back from the hospital where he was treated.

Dr. Alex Hsu died on March 25 from complications related to COVID-19. He was 67 years old.

Those who knew Hsu described him as a dedicated physician and devoted family man who practiced internal medicine for more than three decades at Northwest Medical Center.

Now loved ones who are still reeling from the sudden loss said they were shocked to find some of his personal belongings missing.

Terry Svirk Hsu, the doctor’s widow, spoke with 7News on the phone about the matter on Tuesday.

“When we finally retrieved his box things: ring and watch gone,” she said referring to Hsu’s Rolex watch and wedding ring.

“He never took [the ring] off, not even to shower, ever, ever,” said Svirk Hsu.

Hsu’s son, Zachariah Hsu, was in the intensive care unit at Northwest Medical Center.

“We’ve spoken to at least five or seven different nurses. Three or four of them all confirmed that the watch and ring were on him while they were caring for him,” he said.

Svirk Hsu, who was married to the doctor for 28 years, said she believes someone knows something about the missing items.

“I’m so angry, and then the coordinator is trying to make up excuses, ‘Well, they might have actually gotten thrown out, you know. The room wasn’t checked,'” she said. “You’re not going to throw out a watch.”

“We’ve been calling every day for the past 10 days, and each time it’s kind of a redirect, ‘Here, we’ll send you to lost and found. We’ll send you to the head of security,'” said Zachariah. “We never really get an update on the case. We kind of just get the same runaround.”

A spokesperson for the hospital released a statement that read, “The leadership and staff at Northwest Medical Center regret any additional pain the Hsu family is experiencing during this difficult time. We have been in touch with the funeral home and have conducted an internal review of this incident. We will continue to examine procedures around chain of custody, including those related to the handling of patient belongings.”

However, Hsu’s family said they still feel violated.

“It is a bit ridiculous, considering that he had practiced there forever, 36 years,” said Zachariah. “I can’t even wrap my head around how something like this could even happen.”

Hsu’s family said they have asked hospital administrators to preserve the surveillance video, as the search for the missing items continues.

Anyone with questions and concerns about the coronavirus can call the Florida Department of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-779-6121.

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