Politics - News Analysis Texas Trump Supporter Called Coronavirus a Hoax — She is Now Dead from COVID-19

First a disclaimer.

This story almost seems like it could be a hoax. Trump supporter says COVID-19 is no big deal and then dies of the virus. I haven’t found an obituary yet, but there are screenshots and a GoFundMe. Once I can 100% this is not some hoax, I will remove the disclaimer.

This is almost just too on-the-nose. That a Trump supporter named “Karen” died of the “liberal hoax” she dismissed in a Facebook post days earlier.

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About two weeks ago, Karen Kolb Sehlke posted a rant on Facebook claiming the COVID-19 pandemic was “media driven” and “controlled by the radical people in powerful places.”

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There was also a #Trump2020 hashtag in there, along with the claim that “this is what socialism looks like.”

She said abortion was far more serious a problem. She declared the government response the “beginning of socialism.” And she acted like the stock market’s crash was part of that plan.

Kolb Sehlke posted a rather long screed on Facebook about the virus being a hoax:

Here’s another one where she says, “You don’t need hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and Lysol. You need common sense, a sense of direction, faith, a will to fight, and of course guns!”

Sehlke died this week, apparently of COVID-19. And it’s tragic.

She reportedly died on April 2nd. I have not found an obituary yet, but basing the information from the GoFundMe the family set up.

The GoFundMe page on her behalf explained how she tested positive for the virus and it “caused her to go into Kidney failure and septic shock.” But perhaps after her hypocrisy came to light, the page was revised to remove those references, before being disabled altogether (maybe to avoid comments).

The screenshots live on.

March 14th: *posted COVID-19 hoax, anti-socialism rant on FB* April 2nd: *died of COVID-19, family asking for GoFundMe donations* I post this not to mock Karen Kolb Sehlke’s death, but to underscore the tragic risk one takes when taking this pandemic for granted. #RIP #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/MAKYAYVyGx — Sunn m’Cheaux (@sunnmcheaux) April 4, 2020

For skeptics who asked for further proof this isn’t a hoax, I get it. It’s just too on-the-nose that a Trump supporter named “Karen” died of the “liberal hoax” she dismissed in a FB post days earlier. It speaks volumes that it’s so unbelievable, yet real. https://t.co/C0RGNfstoN — Sunn m’Cheaux (@sunnmcheaux) April 4, 2020

March 14th: *posted COVID-19 hoax, anti-socialism rant on FB* April 2nd: *died of COVID-19, family asking for GoFundMe donations* I post this not to mock Karen Kolb Sehlke’s death, but to underscore the tragic risk one takes when taking this pandemic for granted. #RIP #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/MAKYAYVyGx — Sunn m’Cheaux (@sunnmcheaux) April 4, 2020

As that Twitter user rightly says, the point isn’t to mock someone’s death. It’s to emphasize how serious this pandemic is. The people trying to defend Trump’s irresponsibility by downplaying the virus aren’t just hurting themselves; they could hurt all of us.

Stop listening to them and stop voting for Republicans. It’s a matter of public health at this point.

“You don’t need hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and Lysol. You need common sense, a sense of direction, faith, a will to fight, and of course guns!” – Karen Kolb Sehlke They’ve started a gofundme for a serial killer who died from her own ignorance!

https://t.co/5GGiaoFJ6e — 𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎 𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑑🌀 (@MelissaMermaid) April 4, 2020

This Facebook post from a local fishing club Karen belonged to was from April 2nd, and was calling for prayer.