Immunocompromised NC man fights back against reopen protesters with message from plane

An immunocompromised North Carolina man hired an airplane to fly a banner reading “Fewer Graves If We Reopen in Waves” as a counter protest against demonstrators calling for the state to lift its stay-at-home restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Todd Stiefel hired a plane to fly the banner over a crowd of ReOpenNC protesters who marched in downtown Raleigh, N.C., during a Tuesday protest. 

Stiefel has a condition called common variable immunodeficiency, which makes his immune system vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections, CNN reported. However, he said he wanted to do something to criticize the protesters demonstrating against coronavirus regulations.

“I’ve been trying to figure out a way to voice an opinion for those who can’t show up in mass and make a very public display,” he told CNN. “It dawned (on) me: what about those planes that fly over the beach that pull those big banners?” 

Joe Fisher, a reporter for WRAL, tweeted video of the banner as it flew over the protesters. 

“FEWER GRAVES IF WE REOPEN IN WAVES” banner flying over #ReOpenNC protest in downtown #Raleigh.

“Reopening too quickly will kill so many people that the economic and emotional costs of those deaths will far outweigh the benefits,” said Todd Stiefel, who organized the flyover. pic.twitter.com/IgTnDxObDG

— WRALJoe Fisher (@JoeFisherTV) May 12, 2020

Stiefel told CNN that he found a service online that would fly around with his message for $3,500. 

“It was worth every penny,” Stiefel said. 

He added that he has sympathy for the protesters concerned about the mass economic consequences of the ongoing pandemic, but he called for protesters to also consider safety precautions. 

“The people who are protesting now are not there for balance they want everything back to a normal that doesn’t exist anymore,” Steifel told CNN.

He said he and his family have avoided leaving their house for nearly two months. His wife, Diana, has bought groceries and picked up medicine due to his condition. Stiefel said he can work from home, but he predicted that, “It’s going to be a very long time before I can go back to normal.”

North Carolina has had at least 16,515 cases of coronavirus throughout the state and recorded 631 fatalities due to the disease.

The ReOpenNC protests are part of the demonstrations that have broken out across the country calling for lawmakers and governors to lift coronavirus restrictions despite the continuing pandemic. 

North Carolina began easing coronavirus restrictions on May 8 as part of a reopening plan with three phases. During phase one, retail outlets can open at 50 percent capacity, childcare centers are open for families and restaurants and bars can offer takeout and delivery.