In 2010, some joy was brought to the world when video of a man spotting a double rainbow went viral. In the clip, Paul Vasquez can be heard emotionally pointing out a double rainbow that went "all the way across the sky" at Yosemite National Park. He comments, "It's so bright," then questions, "What does it mean??" He laughs and cries. On Saturday, Vasquez passed away at a California hospital at the age of 57.
While the cause of death has not yet been announced, it seems likely it was COVID-19. On May 3rd, Vasquez wrote on Facebook that he was having coronavirus-related health issues. He explained:
"I thought I might be having a heart attack today but I’ve vowed never again to go to an ER or hospital so I just rode it out. It took me several minutes to catch my breath after walking 50 feet, I went to the farm feeling weak, did what I needed to do came home and took a nap.
My lungs are feeling congested, I’m suspecting pollen, after my nap I tested my oxygen level, it’s under 80, I have a fever of 100.2 I’m having a little trouble breathing if I walk in my apartment but it’s not to bad if I’m not moving. I signed up to make an appointment to get a Covid 19 test here in Mariposa on Tuesday.
Please don’t give me any advice, or sympathy I don’t want it. I seriously doubt that I have the virus because I’ve been pretty careful but who knows right? Like I said I am never stepping into another ER or hospital again, that’s where people go to die, I don’t want to die in a hospital hearing beeps, alarms, getting poked and woken up, hell no!
Whatever happens I’m ready for it, I’m happy to experience it all, it might only be pollen and I’ll have more time in my apartment, if it’s the virus and it’s my time to recycle I look forward to coming back to a new body and starting over, whatever happens I’m enjoying the ride."
In the past ten years, 47 million people have watched the double rainbow video. In a "Where Are They Now?" feature that CNN did about Vasquez, he revealed he was not on drugs when he filmed his iconic video. He also stated, "You can't look at a rainbow anymore and not think about me. That's just the way it is."
According to the Modesto Bee, Vasquez worked as an LA County firefighter before moving to Yosemite in 1985. Once there, he served as a park security officer, an EMT and a firefighter. He even had a stint as an MMA fighter but quit after his first fight, which he lost.
He once stated, "I've lived on the side of this mountain alone for decades. When you live alone, you connect with nature on a deeper level. You can yell at the top of your lungs and no one cares or knows. It gives you a type of freedom that most people have no understanding of."
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