Two hospital stretchers lay in the back of Juan Lopez’s Cadillac Escalade. Lopez uses the vehicle to pick-up and deliver cadavers to local funeral homes. Because of COVID-19, Lopez has seen a surge in calls and bodies. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
A family member observes as Juan Lopez works to remove their deceased relative from a home in McAllen. The person had recently died from COVID-19. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Juan Lopez removes a the body of a person that died from COVID-19 from a home in McAllen. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Family members watch as Juan Lopez wheels a stretcher with their deceased relative. He will load the body into his Cadillac Escalade and transport the body to a local funeral home. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Juan Lopez sprays disinfectant after placing a body in the interior of his vehicle in McAllen. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Upon arriving at a funeral home, Juan Lopez opens the back door of his Cadillac Escalade to remove a cadaver from the vehicle. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Juan Lopez moves a stretcher with a cadaver into a funeral home in McAllen on July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Juan Lopez prepares to pick up a body from a refrigerated trailer at Doctors Health and Renaissance in McAllen on July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
Juan Lopez drinks a coffee during a break from his busy morning of picking up dead bodies and delivering them to funeral homes. From 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m, Lopez delivered four cadavers to local funeral homes. They were all COVID-19 related deaths. July 17, 2020. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
From left, Al Luna and Miguel Guzman move the body of someone that recently died from COVID-19 onto a table. They will shortly place the body inside an incinerator at the crematorium at Val Verde Memorial Gardens. July 17, 2020.
Smoke billows out of a smoke stack at the crematorium at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna. July 17, 2020.
A box that held human remains at the crematorium at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna. July 17, 2020.
From left, Miguel Guzman, Al Luna and Danny Mills prepare to place a body inside of an incinerator at the crematorium at Val Verde Memorial Gardens. The person recently died of COVID-19. July 17, 2020.
The temperature gauges at on the incinerator at the crematorium at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna. July 17, 2020.
Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna. July 17, 2020.