The oldest brother of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Donald Reed Herring, has died from the coronavirus, the senator said Thursday.

The former Democratic presidential candidate said her brother died Tuesday evening. He spent his career in the military after joining the U.S. Air Force at the age of 19 and was "charming and funny, a natural leader," Warren tweeted.

“I’m grateful to the nurses and frontline staff who took care of him, but it’s hard to know that there was no family to hold his hand or to say ‘I love you’ one more time—and no funeral for those of us who loved him to hold each other close. I’ll miss you dearly my brother," she said.

The Boston Globe reported that Reed, 86, died in Norman, Oklahoma, about three weeks after testing positive for the virus.

Herring flew B-47 and B-52 bombers for the Air Force, and flew 288 combat missions in Vietnam, the newspaper reported. He served as a B-52 squadron pilot and a squadron aircraft commander before retiring in 1973 as a lieutenant colonel.

“What made him extra special was his smile—quick and crooked, it always seemed to generate its own light, one that lit up everyone around him,” Warren said.

Share:
More In Culture
Tasting an Iconic Champagne Brand Dating Back to 1812
President of Champagne Laurent-Perrier U.S. Michelle DeFeo discusses how she got started in the French wine industry, why she's proud to work for a women-owned brand, and the secret to perfectly opening a bottle of champagne every time.
SXSW 2023: Attendees Gather to Celebrate Tech, Film and Music
The 2023 South by Southwest Conference and Festival is in full swing and Cheddar News has the highlights on the biggest forthcoming innovations in tech, music and film. With the success of Everything Everywhere All at Once, which premiered at SXSW last year, this award season, all eyes are on the next big project to come out of the festival. Some of the most anticipated films include Problemista, You Sing Loud, I Sing Loud and Joy Ride. Keanu Reeves' John Wick 4 also premiered during the festival and received rave reviews.
Load More