José Antonio Soto, Cuban doctor who climbed Everest, dies from covid-19 in Miami

July 25, 2020

The Cuban doctor José Antonio Soto (Tony) passed away on Thursday, July 23 in Miami at the age of 56, a victim of COVID-19. The distinguished physician was highly respected by the South Florida community and gained fame leading an expedition to climb Mount Everest.

After 15 days of battling the disease, his condition worsened due to complications from diabetes.

Soto practiced medicine and developed extensive health education work in the media, not to mention his passion for Cuban issues and his civic activism.

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Facebook / José Antonio Soto
Dr. José Antonio SotoPhoto © Facebook / José Antonio Soto
Cuban doctor who led an expedition to climb Everest dies in Miami from coronavirus
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Gretchen Sánchez

2 | 24/07/2020 - 6:52am (GMT-4)

The Cuban doctor José Antonio Soto (Tony) passed away this Thursday in Miami at the age of 56, a victim of COVID-19. The distinguished physician was highly respected by the South Florida community and gained fame leading an expedition to climb Mount Everest.

According to sources close to the family who spoke with CiberCuba, Soto battled the disease over the last 15 days and his condition worsened due to complications from diabetes.

His death is a significant loss for the medical community of South Florida. Soto practiced his profession and developed extensive health education work in the media, not to mention his passion for Cuban issues and his civic activism.

He was a great communicator who shared scientific content on television programs and radio shows. In recent months, his efforts were dedicated especially to the study of coronavirus, advising his patients and guiding his audience on how to combat the disease.

By life's ironies, life sets traps for passion and willpower. COVID-19 took one of the warriors who fought hardest to win the battle against the pandemic. Among his last messages on his Facebook profile, he said: "there are dozens dedicated to fighting against coronavirus. One of them recalls the decisive role that doctors have in these times and how their work becomes useless if we don't all collaborate and work as a gigantic team: 'The curve is not flattening, we are flattening the curve. Let's continue, all of us together, Alive!'.

Soto is survived by his wife Alicia and his two children, the oldest of whom is about to finish his university studies in Film Animation.