Man Drove From Oklahoma To Washington To Get COVID-19 Vaccine

An 84-year-old man took a long trip from Oklahoma to Washington state to get his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"I set my mileage at zero miles when I left it's now 1,777 and I've only driven it to Richland, I drove almost 1,800 miles in two and a half days," Duane Renberger told KEPR-TV. Renberger was among the hundreds of people who came out to Benton-Franklin Fairgrounds Monday (January 25) to get vaccinated. Reporters said his car was number five.

But why did he come all the way out to the Tri-Cities?

"I was taking my wife to get her vaccine last week and she is an Oklahoma native and I'm still a Washington native and they wouldn't give me a shot in Oklahoma because the vaccine is allocated by so many people in the state," Renberger explained.

So, the 84-year-old decided to head out last Thursday (January 21) to arrive in town Saturday afternoon (January 23). KEPR-TV said Renberger plans to stay with his daughter in Richland until he gets his second shot at the end of next month.

"I drove about 800 miles a day and when you're just a kid you can do that," Renberger said.

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