George Washington III is the resident deep, bass, resonant, African American voice here at Blue Wave Voiceover. His message to everyone right now?
The COVID-19 pandemic and the need for protection hit George really close to home. Unfortunately he lost both his mother and father to COVID-19 within weeks of each other and then he contracted the virus himself.
He recently shared his story and had a feature published in the Q City Metro by author Sabrina Clark. From their website:
“George Washington III is a voiceover actor with a James Earl Jones-esque resonance. His body of work runs the gamut, from radio spots for the Carolina Panthers to national TV commercials for Mountain Dew Ice (including one featuring rapper Cardi B) to exhibits at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
While Washington’s line of work is fascinating, the 52-year-old has a new motivation these days: urging people to wear masks to help safeguard against the Covid-19 disease. In North Carolina, the number of confirmed cases continues to reach record highs, disproportionately affecting people of color. Washington’s battle cry is a personal testimony of someone who lost his dad due to the virus and suffered from his own bout.”
Being a caregiver to his father after he contracted the virus, ultimately is what caused his exposure. He continues:
“We believe that in those processes, and the amount of time I was spending with him, I caught a full viral load,” the caretaker turned patient explained. In addition to hallmark symptoms like a spike in fever and body aches, Washington battled significant gastrointestinal issues.
“My problems began when I couldn’t stand the smell of food anymore…it’s very hard to force yourself to eat when you can’t even stand the scent of it,” he recalled.
From late May through mid-June, Washington says he only ate apples and oranges. By the time he returned to Charlotte late last month to self-quarantine, he’d lost 20 pounds. He described the ordeal as “pretty miserable.”
You can read the rest of the Q City Metro profile here: https://qcitymetro.com/2020/07/09/voice-actors-message-to-wear-a-mask-comes-after-losing-dad-and-his-own-covid-19-battle/
George only stopped working for a short period of time. Once he was well enough, he was back up and at it in the booth recording spots for Democrats and progressives running for office this election season.
But more than anything – in memory of his mother and father – George would like you to wear a mask. Not only to protect yourself but to protect those around you.
Here at Blue Wave Voiceover extend our deepest condolences to the Washington family on their loss.