Like many people worldwide, actor Edgar Ramirez is having a hard time after losing five loved ones this year following complications from COVID-19. The 44-year-old Venezuelan-born star took social media to share with his followers a lengthy message encouraging people to get vaccinated.

According to the Jungle Cruise actor, his agent, aunt, and uncle are among the deceased, and none of them had access to the vaccine. “I beg you to please read this post carefully,” Edgar wrote. “It is the most painful and the most intimate thing I have had to publish in my life, but I think it is important to share it. At times I feel like it is a nightmare from which I am going to wake up, but I know it is not. That this is as real as the air that at this moment it is difficult for me to breathe.”

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“My heart can’t just take more pain,” Edgar posted. “I am sad, I am frustrated, I am devastated. It’s been weeks and weeks of my family being played, tortured, and jerked around by this cruel, treacherous, and violent disease which mercilessly ended up killing them all. I can’t stand this void in my chest, this metallic taste in my mouth, this crippling headache that doesn’t seem to soothe.”

He continued, “None had access to a vaccine in Venezuela. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of vaccines are being thrown away in the United States because a large number of people don‘t want them. It breaks my heart that so many people in this country are willing to snub the very vaccine my family would have taken in an instant.”

Many people filled the comments section with positive messages and their condolences. “So sorry to read this - my 🙏🏻❤️is with you and your family. My hope there is good to come out of this pain and people will heed your message and get vaccinated,” a person wrote. “I’m so sorry my brother sending my condolences brother,” said Steve Aoki.