#house cleaning services in belleville
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Best house cleaning services in Belleville Ontario
Welcome to APEX Cleaning Solutions, your premier destination for the finest house cleaning services in Belleville, Ontario! 🏡✨ Our dedicated team is committed to delivering unparalleled cleanliness and satisfaction to every home we serve. From meticulous attention to detail to eco-friendly cleaning practices, we ensure that your space gleams with brilliance and freshness. Say goodbye to dust, grime, and clutter, and hello to a pristine living environment you’ll love coming home to. #BellevilleCleaners #HouseCleaning #OntarioLiving #CleanHomeHappyHome
#BellevilleCleaners#HouseCleaning#OntarioLiving#CleanHomeHappyHome#office cleaning#house cleaning services in belleville#house cleaning#canada#ontario
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Water slide rental in Belleville, IL
Water slide rental Belleville, IL
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Dunk Tank
Dunk tanks are great fun to watch and cool off with as well. Our dunk tank rental services are perfect for school carnivals and other events, as well as for larger groups, as everyone has something to see.
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Moonwalks & Bounce Houses
Inflatable bouncers are great for getting some exercise. We also have combo bouncers that have things like a basketball hoop or slide that is built in with the bounce space! We are specialists in renting bounce houses, and we can accommodate any type of event.
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Obstacle Courses
Large inflatable slides can be rented from us, as an inflatable play area. Obstacle course inflatables can provide greater interaction and are an enjoyable way for children to race against one another and let out a lot of energy.
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Slides & Combos
Water slides and water rides are an excellent way to cool down on an extremely hot summer day! Enjoy getting wet with these water slides rentals and water bounce houses.
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Games
Games are an excellent way to give your guests a chance to compete. Inflatable party games can be rented for your next event.
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Concessions
Concessions machines are essential for any event to provide a light snack or a means to cool off with a refreshing snow cone after all the excitement. They can be operated by staff or volunteers.
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Equipment
If you're planning to hold your celebration in an outdoor venue or park that is not powered by electricity, then you'll need a generator in order to power the units. The generator we offer is powerful and durable.
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Find the best Water slide rentals rentals around Belleville, IL for your unique event with Mid America Moonwalks.
Planning an outdoor get together? Mid America Moonwalks has everything needed to make your party a huge success. Our inventory of water slide rentals are highly regarded in Belleville, IL, and our team is constantly ready to assist you with delivery, set-up, and clean-up. Meet with us today to find out more!
We are your perfect source for water slide rentals . We love providing the best quality for your money in the industry. With every rental and every event, we focus in on providing the best service so you can focus on hosting. We also just love providing clean and safe rentals at the most competitive pricing around. Each unit is cleaned and sanitized after every rental to guarantee your safety and satisfaction. We follow safety rules and we will not sacrifice your safety for more business.
Why rent in Belleville, IL
You might want to check-out these other items in Belleville, IL:
Bounce House Rental, Party Rental, Inflatable Rental
Our water slide rentals are available for rent in Belleville, IL. So if you want to have a get-together in Belleville, IL, you should definitely consider hiring us for your water slide rental. Top notch parties like the one you are planning need the best equipment, and you can get that from Mid America Moonwalks.
Mid America Moonwalks is your source for the best water slide rentals .
Mid America Moonwalks has been providing perfect equipment rentals to the Belleville, IL area for a long time, so you can trust us with handling your water slide rental needs. We’ve serviced a huge number of events over the last few years from small to big, but all are handled with the utmost care. So don’t hesitate to contact us for your next event.
In addition to offering perfect water slide rentals in Belleville, IL, we also offer: Bounce House Rental. So if your children are bored this year, then you should consider Mid America Moonwalks for your next party so they can have a party with their friends outside in the yard. We have a big selection so, be sure to check out all of our equipment.
Water slide rentals near Belleville, IL
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Orange, NJ, Has Excellent Schools
Orange, NJ, has excellent schools. South Orange is like many towns in northern New Jersey; it has excellent schools. It's a wonderful place to raise children. A school for children from kindergarten through first grade to higher grade levels is available. Some schools are Marshall Elementary School for children in kindergarten through second grade, South Mountain Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade, an Early Childhood Center for preschoolers, and South Orange Middle School, the primary school in South Orange. Niche.com ranked Columbia High School, which accepts students from Maplewood and South Orange, is ranked among the best school district in Essex County. Additionally, Seton Hall University, a private Catholic institution, ranked among the 2020 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, which is located in South Orange, a college town.
Housekeeping For Hotels Or Disinfection In Orange, NJ
K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC is the No.1 service provider for housekeeping for hotels or disinfection in Orange, NJ. Their commercial disinfectant cleaning has been tested and is approved for use against COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria. Also, their disinfection services use sterilization techniques to kill 99.99% of infections, microscopic organisms, parasites, and different microbes. The prepared specialists wear full Private Defensive Gear (PPE) during the disinfection. Your commercial space will be so clean for its occupants. You can instantly view personalized pricing on their website using their live pricing and real-time booking pages to tailor your commercial disinfectant cleaning to your specific requirements. You will also receive an instant text or email confirmation if you book online or by calling them. You can also save money by scheduling regular cleaning. For inquiry, call (551) 2149-555.
Branch Brook Park in Orange, NJ
The nation's first county park, Branch Brook Park, is in the North Ward of Newark, between the Forest Hill and Roseville neighborhoods. I love that this recreation area is situated inside the Municipality of Belleville. The park is famous for having the most cherry blossom trees anywhere in the United States. Multiple points of entry into the park from Downtown Newark are provided by the Newark Light Rail, which runs along the park's west side. The New Jersey National Registers of Historic Places include Branch Brook Park in 198 - 1981; that's why until now, Branch Brook Park is still one of the most visited parks in the country. It stands out because it was the first county park in the United States to open to the public. The park has an average width of 1/4 mile and a length of nearly 4 miles. It is the County's largest developed park, covering 360 acres. It combines open meadowland and small woodland patches on gently rolling terrain.
Orange, NJ, Leap Into Spring
The East Orange City Council, the Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and Mayor Ted R. Green celebrate spring's arrival with many family-friendly events. A complete list of city-sponsored events can be found here. On Sunday, April 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Columbian Park Easter Basket Giveaway, where you can win gift baskets that you can grab and go with lots of treats! Patch provides free, real-time updates about what's happening in West Orange, on Thursday, April 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Rowley Park Easter Party with Mr. Bunny photos, an egg hunt, face painting, snacks, and Easter crafts, among other things. Saturday, April 8, at Elmwood Park's "Leap into Spring" Celebration from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be a huge egg hunt, train rides, bouncy houses, rock climbing, music, food, games, giveaways of bicycles and gift cards, raffle prizes, and more! Saturday, April 8, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Soverel Park, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt with prizes, face painting, music, photos with Mrs. Bunny, and snacks. Read more.
Link to maps
Branch Brook Park
& Park Avenue, Lake St, Newark, NJ 07104, United States
Get on I-280 W from Park Ave, 1st St and 2nd St
4 min (1.2 mi)
Follow I-280 W to Northfield Ave in West Orange. Take exit 10 from I-280 W
4 min (3.2 mi)
Take Valley Rd, S Jefferson St and Scotland Rd to Beach St in City of Orange
6 min (1.5 mi)
K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC
545 Beach St, City of Orange, NJ 07050, USA
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The Top 5 Reasons To Rent a Bounce House or Water Slide from Jammin' Jumpers!
Jammin' Jumpers is Belleville's premier bounce house and water slide rental company, offering the highest quality rental equipment and exceptional customer service.
Our experienced team of professionals is dedicated to providing an enjoyable and stress-free experience, so you can focus on making memories with your family and friends.
We are proud to offer a selection of exciting bounce houses and water slides that are perfect for any event, big or small.
Our commitment to safety is unmatched, with our expert staff inspecting every unit before and after each rental to ensure the highest quality and safety standards.
We understand that your time and money are valuable, so you can rest assured that our prices are competitive and our service is speedy and reliable.
Jammin' Jumpers is the premier provider of bounce house and water slide rentals in Belleville, Illinois. Our company has been providing high-quality, safe, and affordable bounce house and water slide rentals since 2002. With our years of experience, we are proud to offer the best selection of inflatables, party tents, tables, and chairs in the area.
From small birthday parties to large corporate events, we’ve got you covered. Our team of professionals will help you choose the perfect equipment for your event. We offer a selection of bounce houses and water slides to choose from, and all our rentals come with an experienced attendant to ensure everything is properly set up and taken down. We also offer additional services, such as delivery and setup, for an extra fee.
At Jammin' Jumpers, we are committed to providing the highest quality service and customer satisfaction. We have built a reputation of excellence by providing superior customer service and always striving to exceed our customers’ expectations. We are also dedicated to providing clean, safe, and well-maintained equipment. Our team of experienced professionals will be there to help you with all your rental needs.
We take pride in our commitment to safety. Our staff is trained and certified in the proper setup and takedown of our equipment, as well as safety procedures and regulations. All of our bounce houses and water slides are inspected prior to each rental to ensure they are in peak condition. We also provide safety instructions to all of our customers.
At Jammin' Jumpers, we are dedicated to making your rental experience as easy and enjoyable as possible. We will deliver and pick up your rental equipment in a prompt and timely fashion, and our staff is always available to answer any questions you may have. We strive to make your special event a memorable one.
We are proud to be the premier provider of bounce house and water slide rentals in Belleville, Illinois. Whether you’re looking for a small birthday party or a large corporate event, Jammin' Jumpers has the perfect selection of equipment and services to meet your needs. Our experienced staff and commitment to safety will ensure your event is a success. Contact us today to get started and make your event a Jammin' Jumper experience!
ORIGINALLY FOUND ON-
Source: Bounce House & Water Slide Rentals Belleville, IL(https://www.jamnjumpers.com/belleville/)
#Bounce house rentals Belleville#Bounce house rentals#Water slide rentals Belleville#Water slide rentals
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Rock Breaking Calgary Demolition Contractors
We are dedicated to providing the best standards of security and integrity to our purchasers. Our services include demolition, land clearing, environmental, asbestos, concrete elimination and selective interior removing. Lead Stop Specialists comply with a strict protocol to ensure that the process is finished to the very best health and safety standards. We observe the rule of 6; inspection, planning and quotation, installation of air flow, demolition, material containment and at last material disposal and website clean-up. From small residential projects to large industrial ventures, we are ready to deal with it all. Get in touch for demolition services in Belleville with Hawker Construction today to study extra about our services or to e-book an appointment with us.
Demolition corporations as such don't require a license to demolish buildings. However, Eco Demolition is an Ontario Corporation Certified and Registered with TSSA, MTO and the WSIB. Our technicians are Asbestos Type 1, 2, 3, 253W and 253S Certified. No matter the scope of the project, our educated and licensed demolition consultants will all the time both be on web site or be a fast name away in your comfort. In addition to free estimates and a free quote, our demolition quotes are all the time fast and pleasant.
The team will survey all the encircling areas to examine whether there are any other structures or buildings in its quick neighborhood. Based on that, they may create a correct technique to ensure there is not any injury to the construction. Care shall be taken to ensure that no hazardous supplies like asbestos exist in the construction. Most individuals don't realize residential demolition services that it takes a significant amount of planning in addition to the suitable equipment and strategies to demolish constructions. Regardless of whether or not you have an enormous or small constructing, there is a certain quantity of danger concerned in it. Our group of experienced professionals will get the job accomplished to perfection on time and within budget.
We firmly imagine in operating our business in an trustworthy and clear way. No one likes to do the hard work, or the soiled work of demolishing and removing what you plan to replace. Common building materials like drywall mud, tile thinset and mortar, and batt insulation all include materials that can be dangerous to our health when these materials turn out to be airborne.
Applicant can additionally be responsible to comply with different tree safety bylaws. A Permit to demolish an current house to permit a new house to be built on the location. We will visit your property, generate a report and provide a quote. Demolition might help you keep away from the expenditure of high quantities for asbestos removing.
We are pleased with each job we have accomplished and love to show off the customized and renovation tasks our group have been lucky to work on. Take a take a look at our portfolio, and if anything evokes you, reach residential demolition services out to our staff. We would love to work with you in customizing and creating your imaginative and prescient for your property. We keep our equipment updated and solely use top quality machines and operators while working on your project.
Before approaching any demolition contractor, make a detailed strategy of what you wish to accomplish. While contracting businesses can help if you are unfamiliar with the process, establishing clear goals at the outset of the project can go a great distance. A farm is normally demolished if you residential demolition services are planning to make use of that piece of land on your property extension or it has been bought by one other industrial dealer. Be it a shed, barn or a grainery, our staff has the instruments to assist you with all your farm demolition needs.
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Address:
27 Thurlow Drive
Belleville, Ontario K8N 0N9
Phone:
613-703-9743
Website:
http://www.tidybase.ca/
Keywords:
Residential cleaning, House cleaning, Maid Service, House cleaner
Description:
We are a residential cleaning company. We serve the following communities: Quinte West, Trenton, Belleville, Napanee, Kingston.
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Why It is Extremely Crucial to Execute Regular Air Duct Cleaning
Keeping the environment - conserving the planet Earth - is usually on people's intellect. We all implement what we could, whether it is obtaining different methods of transportation to lessen air pollution or recycling our magazines or perhaps modifying our light bulbs to lower-energy bulbs. Numerous elements inspire individuals to preserve their houses.
However when was the last occasion you thought about the indoor environment? Maintaining the particular pathways that deliver air to and from your warming, ventilation and air conditioning system is vitally important.
The effectiveness of air duct cleaning
If you check the research concerning the result of duct cleaning on your indoor environment, you'll find disagreeing details and as yet, undetermined effects. While most research workers agree that cleaning your heater or air conditioning duct in order to increase air quality isn't totally crucial, they also recognize that there is a relationship among neglected duct work and a grab-bag of medical concerns including headaches and wooziness to bronchial asthma and allergy problems. Common sense likewise informs us that when the particular passageways that deliver air towards our own living or working area tend to be messy, the air that they deliver might take traces of whatever is hiding within those passageways. Latest industry standards specify good duct cleaning at least once every 5 to 7 yrs.
The task
When an air duct cleaning company comes in the premises the very first thing they should undertake could be to execute a visual test of the visible elements of the heater, air conditioning unit, dryer port, and many others. They are on the look-out for dirt as well as particles, too much particles build-up, rodent hair or waste, or even staining, which might show mold. They'll as well take note of any increased signs of humidity. While some condensation is normal, too much water might specify flawed seals, a flow or many other failure. Disproportionate wetness within the duct work is a specific indication that other issues follows.
The cleansing process really begins with protecting the homeowners' furniture, carpeting and belongings. Once this is done, specialists will probably access the interior duct work to be able to clear it of the contaminants - dust, particles, pollen, and many others. You could be amazed to find out that duct work is frequently littered with other debris. This is removed using effectivevacuum cleaners.
Essential to productive vent duct cleaning and air duct cleaning is the utilization of high-powered, HEPA (high efficiency particle air) hoovers. This type of vacuum restraints the amount of dirt particles which are produced to the air. Gentle scrubbing devices are sent down each duct to clear out all remnants of trash. It is at this point that numerous corporations give sanitizing solutions, mildew prevention solutions and various other optional services.
When the insides of the Hvac system are generally cleanse, the work is merely half finished. The particular blower fan, a/c coil, vents, diffusers, grilles, registers and much more everything should have to be cleansed, and reset or reinstalled as required. When it is time for you to get your own air ducts cleaned, clean so that your Hvac system will work greater.
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Useful Tips to Fix Home Water Damage
All Clean Restoration Service, Inc.
2300 S Illinois St, Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 235-3202
Have you ever been confronted with damages to your structure? Have you experienced the situation of experiencing a burst pipe or a washer hose go out Water Damage Restoration Belleville, IL, or a basement flooded by a 100-year storm, or even a toilet leak? If you've had to deal with the effects of damage (water or flooding) during your absence to celebrate the holidays and you wanted to repair it yourself Here are some helpful restoration techniques you can use to protect your home. Please read the following for helpful details.
It is common for water damage to occur suddenly within areas susceptible to flooding. It may also occur when a pipe breaks or leaks water into the source which are directly connected to the house. This can lead to harmful diseases and may be hazardous to the flooring or furniture in the home.
There are a variety of techniques and tips to consider regarding the situation of home water damage However, one of the crucial ways to tackle the issue when confronted with this issue is to deal with it properly. The majority of the time, it causes mold and mildews on your the basement, walls flooring, doors, and floors surfaces that could further increase the risk of the risk of disease and create cost you money for family members. If you're looking to address it with care and efficiently then you must first of all is to identify the causes of damage within your house. Look over at the steps you must take to conquer the problem.
If you are able to identify the water damage source , you must move it to a dry and warm environment.
Get the assistance of a specialist in water damage restoration or follow the steps below Mold Removal Belleville IL.
The windows and doors can be opened to let fresh air circulate throughout your house.
For drying out your severe water infiltration, the open windows will not be enough. In order to do this, you should be equipped with powerful fans that move a huge quantity of air inside your house. If you don't already have one, you can buy one.
If you've discovered an area of water in your basement You can make use of water mitigation equipment that will take all moisture out of the area. The primary thing you need to stop the principal cause of flooding in basements. It could originate from ground water or water that comes from a cracks or surface water.
Examine the sump pump.
Checking for leaks in faucets and pipes.
Wet patches on walls, floors or ceilings.
Through regular checks of water using equipment.
Examining the roofs, flashing the vents and chimneys.
Installation equipment for detecting water leakage.
Other areas to examine the source of the damaged are
Windowsills of windows that have been rotted.
Peeling Paints.
Crumbling Drywall.
In addition to the steps mentioned above Home water removal experts can be hired for use of wall dryers as well as mold cleanup and mildew removal techniques restoration of home structural water damage and sanitation. It is necessary to file a claim on your insurance coverage if you done it prior to buying a the home. It is necessary to submit an image to prove that the home was damaged by the water.
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Le Camp Suite & Spa in Padova, Italy (Europe). The best of Le Camp Suite & Spa in Padova Hotel. Welcome to Le Camp Suite & Spa in Padova, Italy (Europe). The best of Le Camp Suite & Spa in Padova. Subscribe in http://goo.gl/VQ4MLN General services in the accommodation include: wifi available in all areas. , , , , , , , and cycling. In the section of restaurant you can enjoy: breakfast in the room, room service, bottle of water, fruits, special diet menus (on request), bar, snack bar, on-site coffee house, breakfast options, wine/champagne and chocolate or cookies. To relax, the accommodation includes foot massage, spa facilities, personal trainer, make up services, pool/beach towels, fitness classes, massage chair, head massage, full body massage, body treatments, body scrub, couples massage, manicure, back massage, spa/wellness packages, facial treatments, hair treatments, beauty services, massage, sauna, spa lounge/relaxation area, fitness/spa locker rooms, pedicure, fitness centre, hand massage, neck massage, waxing services, fitness, steam room, hot tub/jacuzzi and spa and wellness centre. In relation to transport we find secured parking, shuttle service (additional charge), airport pick up, airport shuttle, airport drop off, bicycle rental (additional charge), car hire, airport shuttle (additional charge), public transport tickets, accessible parking, shuttle service and parking garage. For the reception services we can find lockers, concierge service, ticket service, private check-in/check-out, luggage storage, safety deposit box, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, express check-in/check-out and tour desk and tickets to attractions or shows. Within the common spaces we will enjoy shared lounge/tv area. For family enjoyment we have at your disposal babysitting/child services and children television networks. The cleaning of the facilities have included laundry, daily maid service, dry cleaning and ironing service. If you stay for business matters on the premises you will have meeting/banquet facilities and fax/photocopying. shops (on site), mini-market on site and barber/beauty shop. We can highlight other services like , , wheelchair accessible, , heating, bridal suite, , , toilet with grab rails, , soundproof rooms, air conditioning, vip room facilities, lift, allergy-free room, facilities for disabled guests, non-smoking throughout, family rooms, , non-smoking rooms, pet bowls, lower bathroom sink and emergency cord in bathroom [https://youtu.be/UKUcbTEvNPM] Book now cheaper in https://ift.tt/2KQU9wt You can find more info in https://ift.tt/2KVEgBw We hope you have a pleasant stay in Le Camp Suite & Spa Other hotels in Padova AC Hotel Padova, a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel. https://youtu.be/BU4tkZDh5fY Hotel Grand'Italia https://youtu.be/M7jbWXZcEpQ Four Points by Sheraton Padova https://youtu.be/4OYfMczcWdU Best Western Premier Hotel Galileo Padova https://youtu.be/O3XV7Xutb0k Best Western Hotel Biri https://youtu.be/7Wyv5j1la1Y Majestic Toscanelli https://youtu.be/BNKRXcmjo8M Hotel Giovanni https://youtu.be/i-dqMh9_n_Q Other hotels in this channel Hotel Eiger https://youtu.be/G2CFEScFo08 Hosteria Las Quintas Hotel & Spa https://youtu.be/PFR_xXyJqvI Hotel De Bangkok https://youtu.be/oAiKPLoqXy0 Gresham Hotel Bloomsbury https://youtu.be/AQ-jPw4GD8s Tipi https://youtu.be/mVrnf-CGxJk Hotel Lima https://youtu.be/GEQMZfG7Rv4 Hipotel Paris Belleville Gare de l'Est https://youtu.be/dkpbiK5fmZI Elion House Hotel https://youtu.be/twd3XfbbJrA ENDEMIT Boutique Hotel & Spa https://youtu.be/N0lJ8suwVnQ Robinson Club Soma Bay https://youtu.be/NBamLTmth54 Plaza de Toros https://youtu.be/qwRmLSDdf0c Ostrova Spa Hotel https://youtu.be/A-mrYTZD270 Florida Spa - Adults Recommended https://youtu.be/0RwlS0BTEn0 The Marmara Antalya https://youtu.be/tvbrtuNxi6A Sheraton Stockholm Hotel https://youtu.be/CpssZ4yZIjE In Padova we recommended to visit In the Italy you can visit some of the most recommended places such as Basílica de San Antonio de Padua, Capilla de los Scrovegni, Palazzo della Ragione, Basílica de Santa Justina, Church of the Eremitani, Eremitani Museums, Bo Palace, MUSME and Museo La Specola. We also recommend that you do not miss Zuckermann Palace, Palazzo Angeli, Palazzo Zabarella, Ponte San Lorenzo, Esapolis, Memoria e Luce, We hope you have a pleasant stay in Le Camp Suite & Spa and we hope you enjoy our top 10 of the best hotels in Italy based in Le Camp Suite & Spa Tripadvisor Reviews. All images used in this video are or have been provided by Booking. If you are the owner and do not want this video to appear, simply contact us. You can find us at https://ift.tt/2iPJ6Xr by World Hotel Video
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Looking to transform your Belleville, Ontario home into a sparkling oasis? Look no further than Apex Cleaning Solutions! Our dedicated team is here to provide unparalleled house cleaning services tailored to your needs. From basic tidying to deep cleaning, we handle it all with precision and care. Say goodbye to dust, grime, and clutter, and hello to a fresh, inviting space. Experience the difference with Apex Cleaning Solutions today! #HouseCleaning #BellevilleOntario #CleaningServices #FreshHome #ApexCleaningSolutions
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Inflatable rental in Belleville, IL
Inflatable rental Belleville, IL
Mid America Moonwalks is your perfect source for inflatable rentals. We love providing the absolute best for your money in the area. With every customer and every event, we focus in on providing quality service so you can focus on having FUN. We also just love providing clean and safe rentals at the most competitive pricing around. Each rental is cleaned and sanitized after every event guaranteeing satisfaction. We follow the safety standards and we absolutely will not ignore your safety for business. EVER.
We have everything needed to host incredible, once in a lifetime events. Whether it’s in your backyard or a huge company event, we want to make sure your event is an enjoyable, relaxing experience from start to finish.
Inflatable rental Belleville, IL
Mid America Moonwalks rents all sorts of equipment, including: Party Rental. While we focus on inflatable rentals, you can also rent other items. If you just want a inflatable rental for your own yard, at a park, or indoor – we can do that. We also do larger event rentals for organizations, schools, or festivals. Give us a call if you want a quote.
Why rent in Belleville, IL
Mid America Moonwalks is your source for high quality inflatable rentals.
Mid America Moonwalks have been providing high quality equipment rentals to the Belleville, IL area for a long time, so you can trust us with handling your inflatable rental needs. We’ve done a huge number of parties in the past several years from small to big, but all are handled with the most care. So don’t hesitate to hire us for your next event.
Our inflatable rentals are available for rent near Belleville, IL. So if you are wanting to have an event in Belleville, IL, you should definitely consider hiring us for your inflatable rental. Top notch parties like the one you are planning need perfect equipment, and you can get that from Mid America Moonwalks.
You might want to check-out these other items in Belleville, IL:
Bounce House Rental, Water Slide Rental, Party Rental
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Dunk Tank
Dunk tanks are great fun to watch and cool off with as well. Our dunk tank rental services are perfect for school carnivals and other events, as well as for larger groups, as everyone has something to see.
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Moonwalks & Bounce Houses
Inflatable bouncers are great for getting some exercise. We also have combo bouncers that have things like a basketball hoop or slide that is built in with the bounce space! We are specialists in renting bounce houses, and we can accommodate any type of event.
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Obstacle Courses
Large inflatable slides can be rented from us, as can inflatable play areas. Obstacle course inflatables can provide greater interaction and are an enjoyable way for children to race against one another and let a lot of energy.
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Slides & Combos
Water slides and water rides are an excellent way to cool down on an extremely hot summer day! Enjoy getting wet with these water slides rentals and water bounce houses.
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Games
Games are an excellent way to give your guests a chance to compete. Inflatable party games can be rented for your next event.
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Concessions
Concessions machines are essential for any event to provide a light snack or a means to cool off with a refreshing snow cone after all the excitement. They can be operated by staff or volunteers.
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Equipment
If you're planning to hold your celebration in an outdoor venue or park that is not powered by electricity, then you'll need a generator in order to power the units. The generator we offer is powerful and durable.
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MY GOODNESS. WHY AM I SLACKING :’( sorryyyyy
OK wow, last post was April 8!!!! Disappointed in myself. Yes, I’ve been lazy.... and not just in posting here, but in life in general :P anyway, here I go playing catch up, AGAIN.
4.9.19 - got up late and prepared dad's shake n stuff. At like 4:30 ish manong came and I drove him to school taking the side streets. Chilled in the parking lot for like 20 min then we left. Ate dinner at Ikea and then from there I drove and took 275 home! It was a nice, smooth drive lol (PTL I drove like 7 pm, almost 8). Got home and marv and i watched the first episode of OPM season 2!!!!
4.10.19 - got up late again. Prepped dad's stuff as usual. Thought I was gonna drive/go to the gym with manong but he changed his mind lol. Went with mom to pick up Marvin and Manang. Was gonna walk at the park but it was cold and windy so we went home. Got home and took out the trash from the basement along with the usual trash. Painted in the dining while waited for mom to cook the milk fish. Watched get smart while painting.
4.11.19 - guess what! Woke up late again lolll. Ate tinola with mom and dad, then washed dishes, then got ready to get Marvin. Got Marv and then Manang and then went straight to HFMH to visit today Agnes. She got discharged just in time so we drove her home on our way to prayer meeting but before that, she treated us out to taco Bell. Got home after stopping by 7-11 and withdrawing money for my BLS class tomorrow. Also filled the tires with air. Did 1.5 miles on the elliptical then I drove manong and I to Meijer to get some stuff. Now I'm homeee
4.12.19 - Woke up early and manong took Marvin and I. Dropped Marv to school and then manong and I made our way to the Health Strategies building in Taylor for my BLS. It was raining! But also, finally got to see Danielle!! <3 It’s been so long, and she lost weight! Anyway, passed the multiple choice (25 questions, open book) with 100% lol. After the BLS manong picked me up and we went to Subway where he did a store. I ate a flatbread club with bacon then went to the car where I watched a lot of Conan vids (with Steven Ho). After that we went to Starbucks but then it was busy so we didn’t stay or buy anything. Decided to go to tim Hortons on Eureka, across from Aldi and we had coffee and donuts. Sat there for a good hour and a half or so then I drove from Tim Hortons to Tropical Smoothie. Got a Mango something and only paid $3.49 (or well manong paid lol). Thankfully it was Happy Hour (from 5-7 p.m. M-F) so in total our drinks were like $7.50. After that I drove from Topical Smoothie home. Got home and then manong and I walked around the neighborhood. Didn’t have power at home so we decided (mom and I) to go walk in the park and then go to Ne’s afterwards. Manong stayed home to finish his art project, so manang drove us to the park on Hall road. Walked for a good hour then went to Ne’s. Had corn beef for dinner and just chilled there until almost 2 a.m. Also ligo there too. Manong came around 9 or 10? But yeah, long day!
4.13.19 - Went out for lunch for manong’s bday at IKEA. Got a plate of meatballs. Didn’t walk around as much or buy anything. After IKEA, manong went home because he had to rest and get ready for dinner with his friends. The rest of the fam and I went to the filipino store where marv and I just stayed in the car with dad and watched conan vids. Manang bought a bunch of pancit canton but was paid by PJ and Si to get them lol. Dad then went to 7-11 and I helped him wash the car. After that he and mom dropped the 3 of us to Southland where we waited for our friends (Josh, PJ, and Jovel). At the mall I bought manong boxers and socks for his birthday xD (it was all I could afford). Waited for a while for Jovel, but once she came we rode in her car and went to Mcdonalds across the street. Only got a cup of water and a cheeseburger, but shared the fries and chicken nuggets. After that Marv and I rode with PJ, while manang rode with Josh. PJ and us stopped by tropical smoothie and he bought Marv and my drink which we shared. Got to Daen’s and Si was there too and watched TV before playing MP7 (PJ and I were SO close to winning if I had only rolled a 4 :(((( ). Then we played Jackbox. It was so funny. Left Daen’s at like 1 a.m.
4.14.19 - Manong’s birthday!! I drove to chase bank lol. Church was good. Only had Johanna as my student. It was a long women’s meeting. Played with the kids, specifically Paul, Johanna, and Eireen. We were taking turns hiding Johanna’s toy and looking for it. But before that I was watching Kaleb. We also watched COCO. After that, manang and marv rode with mom and dad, while I drove with manong. I drove from church to West rd. Took 696 to 75 all the way. Stopped by the bank and then Mcdonald’s, where I treated manong to an ice cream cone. Got home and rested. Manong left and met up with kuya Jeff. He’s gonna start working out and doing a meal plan! So proud of him. :)
4.15.19 - Walked with mom, manang and Marv for a good 50 minutes. Stopped by Target real quick. I bought water, then went to Bath and body works to redeem my free lotion. Noticed my earlobes were itchy and found out I had like a bump kinda like a mosquito bite. It was red and inflammed, and blistered... mostly on my right earlobe. My left wasn’t that bad... it was more like a dot. It definitely got a reaction from wearing the clip on earrings I got from the women’s conference. So weird tho because I know the earrings are from Avon, and avon claims all jewelry is nickel-free but idk!!! I definitely got a reaction. Didn’t get a reaction from my black earrings but prob cuz they’re stainless steel. So yeah, I’m suffering from itchy ears. Been cleaning and applying aquafor and neosporin.
4.16.19 - Stayed home today (like didn’t go with mom to pick up Marv and manang lol). Did the usual stuff, prepare dad’s shake, coffee, lunch and uniform. Cleaned the house and made myself a 2 glasses of protein shakes lol. Folded my clothes while watching Ponyo. After that I watched Ant Man and the Wasp with the sibs and mom and it was actually really good! I enjoyed it lol
4.17.19 - Walked with mom, Marv and manang. Stopped by Aldi after that, then GFS, Meijer for pineapples and sushi, and Walmart. I did most of the stuff since the sibs were tired, like gas up the car, get the pineapples, get the groceries in Walmart, push the cart at Aldi, etc. Oh when mom was at GFS, Marv treated manang and I for coffee at Tim Hortons. The lightning was very bright today too on our way home.
4.18.19 - Dad and I watched the fight scene in Wakanda to the end from Avengers: Infinity War. Then we watched Scenes from Get Smart. lol Dad and I went to get Marv from school. Manong picked up Manang. Painted Mob and Saitama. Then I played Stardew Valley (yeah marv downloaded it for me on his PSVita lol). Went with dad to Walmart and got some groceries. Came home and baked the pizza and it was okay lol. Made myself a fruit smoothie!
4.19.19 - Woke up early today to drive manong to his work in Plymouth (on N. Sheldon rd near Einstein bros). Took 275 to 96. Getting more confident although I make some little mistakes here and there. Once we got to the Subway I stayed in the car for like an hour or so and played more stardew valley lol. Then I got money from manong and walked to Wendys where I got a 4 for $4. Then I got coffee at Einstein bros. Then I walked to Busch’s. Walked around then went back to the car. Manong then drove and we went to Marshalls in Canton for manong to buy clothes for tonight’s Good Friday service at Taylor. Got home then I went straight to my room to start preparing for sunday school stuff. Then I ligo and got ready. Wore the yellow shirt manong got me from Marshalls. Left the house at 6:20 and got to Taylor. Members of our church were there on time too! The Cruz’s, Salamats, Duculans, tito boyet and tita Ana were there. The service was long, but good. Loved the preachings by the different pastors on the 7 Sayings of Jesus. Dad had the last saying (Father, into your hands I commit my spirit) and he did a wonderful job. Ne was also there and she sat with us in the pews. Ate and then talked with Caleb and Hannah. Then went upstairs and talked to kuya karlo. Left and went home. I was soooo tired. Dozed off in bed with my makeup still on. Got up around 12 a.m. and washed my face and brushed my teeth.
4.20.19 - Woke up ate 8 am!!! Ahhh. Drove manong to school. Took 275 to 94. Stayed in the car but only for like 20 minutes because manong forgot he didn’t have class today for the holiday. Drove manong’s classmate Jim, who’s an older, retired senior, home. Then we went to Belleville. Stopped by dollar tree where I got stuff for sunday school. Then we went to Walmart and Aldi. Stopped by Wendys for me so I could eat (4/$4) and then home. Once I got home I went straight to bed. I was soooo tired. Woke up at 3:30 and dad was getting ready for work :(( Chilled in the living room while mom cooked. Ne came and she brought desserts. Ate and talked to Ne, then I went to hem my jumpsuit for tomorrow. Then I prepared my sunday school stuff. At 6:30 the sibs and I left. I drove to Panera bread in woodhaven while the boys went to Planet fitness. Manang and I had good conversation in Panera. She bought us coffee, a big cookie, and a bagel with cream cheese. Left panera (manong got us) at 8:20. Went to Target and then home. At home I played piano, then folded clothes. Mom had her nails done by manang. Then I finished preparing my stuff for tomorrow. Re-hemmed my jumpsuit, though I think I’m gonna re-do it again tomorrow :P lol. Helped manong find the right key for tomorrow’s P&W. Now I’m about to sleep! Goodnight!
Life, I’m lovin’ it,
Bebet
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Lost On The Frontline
America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical staff account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.
Some of them do not survive the encounter. Many hospitals are overwhelmed and some workers lack protective equipment or suffer from underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to the highly infectious virus.
Many cases are shrouded in secrecy. “Lost on the Frontline” is a collaboration between The Guardian and Kaiser Health News that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who die of COVID-19, and to understand why so many are falling victim to the pandemic.
These are some of the first tragic cases.
Lost On The Frontline
This project aims to document the life of every health care worker in America who dies from COVID-19. If you have a colleague or loved one we should include, please share their story.
Nurse With ‘Heartwarming’ Smile Did Her Best For Her Children
(Courtesy of Anderson Family)
Jenniffer Anderson-Davis
Age: 44
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Meramec Bluffs Life Plan Community in Ballwin, Missouri
Date of Death: April 14, 2020
As a single mother, Jenniffer Anderson-Davis was determined to give her three children everything they needed, so she pursued her nursing degree while delivering pizza to make ends meet.
Read More
Hospital Workers Complain of Minimal Disclosure After COVID Exposures May 13
Widely Used Surgical Masks Are Putting Health Care Workers At Serious Risk Apr 28
OSHA Probing Health Worker Deaths But Urges Inspectors To Spare The Penalties Apr 22
True Toll Of COVID-19 On U.S. Health Care Workers Unknown Apr 15
“She always did the best that she could to give them the best life,” her brother Earl Anderson said.
Most recently, Anderson-Davis worked as an admission and discharge nurse at a senior living community. Her mother, Edna Anderson, said that Anderson-Davis was concerned about residents who returned to the facility after visiting Florida (it has since banned reentry for residents who spent time away).
Anderson-Davis tested positive for COVID-19 on April 9 and died at home five days later. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a fatality investigation at Meramec Bluffs on April 16.
Lutheran Senior Services, the nonprofit that operates Meramec Bluffs, acknowledged Anderson-Davis’ death but did not respond to specific questions about her case. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Jenniffer’s coworkers remember her as a thorough and well-respected nurse who had a smile that could warm any heart.”
— Cara Anthony, Kaiser Health News | Published May 26, 2020
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A Tireless Nurse, She Loved Her Children And Travel
(Courtesy Stefaney Cicala)
Susan Cicala
Age: 60
Occupation: Registered nurse
Places of Work: Northern State Prison in Newark, New Jersey; Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Susan Cicala worked long hours. A typical workday began at the hospital surgery department at 5:30 a.m. She’d work there until 2 p.m., and an hour later would start her next eight-hour shift at a nearby state prison. She worked weekends, too.
As for sleep? “She must have slept somewhere, but I don’t know,” her son, Steven Cicala, said with a laugh. “She was the hardest worker I ever met.”
Reminiscing on Facebook, colleagues said she talked about her two children constantly. She started wrapping Christmas presents in May. She loved to travel, to Disney World and national parks, and saw vacations as opportunities to learn about the world beyond New Jersey — on a trip to Hawaii, she delved into the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Cicala became sick in late March and died in early April; her family said they presume she contracted the virus at one of her jobs.
“She didn’t go anywhere else,” Steven said.
As of May 21, the New Jersey Department of Corrections had tallied 152 COVID-19 cases at the prison where Cicala worked; 134 of those diagnoses were among staffers. In early May, the union representing Cicala and other workers filed a safety complaint saying precautions have been inadequate and may have led to Cicala’s death. A spokesperson for the prison health care agency that employed Cicala said that it had followed all state and federal guidelines, and that the staff was provided with personal protective equipment.
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 26, 2020
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The Single Mother Dreamed Of Opening A Nursing Home
(Courtesy of Rebecca Gbodi)
Helen Gbodi
Age: 54
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.
Date of Death: April 19, 2020
Helen Gbodi was known for helping elderly neighbors and fellow churchgoers — picking up their medications and groceries and accompanying them on walks. She even dispatched her daughter, Rebecca Gbodi, to shovel snow in neighbors’ driveways.
“Even when she didn’t have a lot, she would always give,” Rebecca said of her mother, who worked long hours to put her children through college and helped pay school fees for other relatives. This year, she embarked on her own dream: crafting plans to open her own nursing home, her daughter said.
Gbodi understood the severity of COVID-19 early on. In March, she called every person in her contacts list, including people she hadn’t talked to in years, to make sure they were aware and taking precautions, her daughter said. Though she did not actively care for patients who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, such patients were being treated on her floor, her daughter said.
Days later, she was fighting for her life. By the time she was hospitalized with COVID-19, she was too weak to lift her arm for a virtual handshake with her daughter on FaceTime.
“At the end of the day, she was willing to put her life in danger for others,” Rebecca said.
— Anna Jean Kaiser, The Guardian | Published May 26, 2020
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Always Upbeat, Patient Transporter Was A Sewing Wiz
(Courtesy of the Ismayl family)
Gabrail ‘Gabe’ Ismayl
Age: 62
Occupation: Patient transport worker
Place of Work: Swedish Hospital in Chicago
Date of Death: May 6, 2020
Caring, upbeat, always first to arrive at a party. Gabrail Ismayl loved an excuse to don a suit and splash on cologne.
That’s how Fidelline Youhanna remembers her uncle. “Everybody loved Gaby,” she said.
After migrating from Syria in the 1980s, Ismayl ran wholesale clothing shops on Chicago’s North Side. He was a wiz with the sewing machine and enjoyed altering dresses, making curtains and doing creative projects for family and friends.
Later, his people skills were an asset as he wheeled patients where they needed to go.
As the pandemic took hold, Ismayl worked despite health conditions that elevated his risk, Youhanna said.
“I think he just liked his job,” she said. “He made a lot of friends there.”
On May 6, Ismayl was self-isolating in the basement of the house he shared with two sisters. He was short of breath, Youhanna said. By evening, he was dead.
Ismayl was employed by management services company Sodexo. The CEO of its health care division in North America, Catherine Tabaka, said in a statement that his passing “is a tragic loss for Sodexo and we mourn an incredible friend and presence.”
— Mary Chris Jaklevic | Published May 26, 2020
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Charismatic Surgical Technician Taught His Kids To Be ‘Faithful To Your Job’
(Courtesy of the Martinez family)
Juan Martinez
Age: 60
Occupation: Surgical technician
Place of Work: University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago
Date of Death: April 27, 2020
It was easy to befriend Juan Martinez.
The surgical technician “could start a conversation up with anyone about anything,” said Jose Moreno, an operating room nurse and co-worker.
He went out of his way to teach others what he learned from 34 years in the field, said his son, Juan Martinez Jr., who followed his dad’s career path at the same hospital.
The military veteran and former church pastor set an example “to be faithful to your job,” his son said.
Due to retire April 30, Martinez anticipated spending time with his grandchildren, traveling and opening Bible education centers in Mexico, his family said.
After feeling tired and feverish, he went to be tested for COVID-19 on April 17. His symptoms were so severe that he was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he worked.
Family members said Martinez did not engage in direct patient care but came in contact with staffers who did.
Juan Jr. said that losing his dad has been like a nightmare, and that he and his siblings are “leaning on the Lord and praying a lot, just like how our father taught us.”
— Mary Chris Jaklevic | Published May 26, 2020
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Memory Care Nurse Set Fear Aside
(Courtesy of Jessica Forbes)
Nina Forbes
Age: 56
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Silverado memory care facility in Alexandria, Virginia
Date of Death: April 25, 2020
Nina Forbes refused to let fear stop her from living.
She was terrified of flying. But a few years ago, Forbes got on a plane for the first time to watch her younger daughter Jennifer play volleyball.
COVID-19 also scared Forbes, and as a nurse at an assisted living facility, she knew the virus posed a serious risk. Still, she continued showing up to work.
Forbes tested COVID-positive just after Easter. Chills, body aches and a fever kept her from attending family dinner that Sunday. By the following weekend, she struggled to breathe and couldn’t walk on her own. An ambulance took her to the hospital.
Her older daughter, Jessica, said her mother didn’t have the necessary protection at work. Forbes sometimes wore trash bags to protect herself, she said.
In a statement, a representative for the facility said it met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for personal protective equipment. Employees sometimes used trash bags as an added layer of protection, worn over a disposable gown, according to the representative.
Forbes appeared to do what she wanted even in her final moments. Jennifer was able to visit her mother in the hospital, and Forbes died shortly after she left, Jessica said. “It was like she waited for her to leave.”
— Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, Kaiser Health News | Published May 19, 2020
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A Family Man Who Loved Disney, Took Risks To Help Others
(Courtesy of AMR Southwest Mississippi)
David Martin
Age: 52
Occupation: Paramedic
Place of Work: AMR Southwest Mississippi, covering Amite and Wilkinson counties
Date of Death: April 22, 2020
On March 22, David Martin changed his Facebook profile picture. Around his smiling face, the frame read, “I can’t stay home … I’m a healthcare worker.”
Outside of work, he was a dedicated family man with two children, known for his love of Disney.
Martin, who covered 1,420 square miles across two rural counties, had cared for people with suspected COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to his death, said Tim Houghton, chief of operations for AMR Southwest Mississippi.
“We do what we do knowing the risks,” Houghton said. But Martin’s death was “a hard hit.”
On March 23, at the end of a shift, Martin told a supervisor he had mild flu symptoms. A month later, he died at a hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
AMR paramedics had N95 masks and protective gear and followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Houghton said. “We have not yet had a shortage.”
In Facebook posts honoring Martin, colleagues described his excitement before trips to Disney World. In his memory, his fiancee, Jeanne Boudreaux, shared a photo of a hot air balloon ride at Disney Springs.
— Michaela Gibson Morris | Published May 19, 2020
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For a 9/11 First Responder, ‘Sitting on the Sidelines Was Never in His DNA’
(Courtesy of Erin Esposito)
Matthew ‘Matty’ Moore
Age: 52
Occupation: Radiologic technologist
Place of Work: Northwell Health’s GoHealth Urgent Care in Eltingville, Staten Island, New York City
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Matthew Moore “would give the shirt off his back to help others,” said his sister, Erin Esposito.
A former firefighter and Staten Island native, “Matty” Moore volunteered as a first responder for weeks after 9/11, “even when everyone else stopped going,” Esposito said.
Moore was known as “a gentle giant” in Prince’s Bay, his brother-in-law Adam Esposito said. He was a devoted churchgoer and a beloved member of “The Beach Boys Firehouse” (as Engine 161/81 was nicknamed).
He even came through as Santa Claus, delivering gifts on Christmas morning to the children of two firefighters who died on 9/11.
Moore became an X-ray technologist, cherishing the ability to help those seeking urgent care. When COVID-19 emerged, he continued showing up to work. “Sitting on the sidelines was never in his DNA,” Erin Esposito said.
At the time, the family was reassured that he was receiving the personal protective equipment he needed. Despite his precautions, when Matty contracted COVID-19, it tore through his lungs, which had been damaged at ground zero.
As Matty lay dying, Esposito sought to reassure her brother. “You’ve done enough for us,” she told him, over the phone. Moments later, Matty’s heart stopped beating.
— Eli Cahan | Published May 19, 2020
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‘Gentle Soul’ Had A Brilliant Mind And A Big Heart
Neftali “Neff” Rios
Age: 37
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: St. Francis Hospital’s intensive care unit in Memphis, Tennessee
Date of Death: April 26, 2020
Hospital colleagues loved working with Neftali “Neff” Rios. He was humble, kind and capable, a “gentle soul” who always strived to learn something new. Not just smart — “I’m talking extremely intelligent,” his brother Josue Rios said. And he simply loved people. Nursing was a perfect fit.
Neff worked at a small hospital in Clarksdale, Mississippi, then earned his master’s in business administration with an emphasis on health care, and moved to St. Francis, hoping to enter management.
In mid-April, he came down with fever, body aches and a terrible cough and tested positive for the coronavirus. Several family members got sick, too. His parents were hospitalized.
On April 26, Neff collapsed at home, unable to catch his breath. His wife, Kristina, called 911, started CPR and waited for the EMTs. When they arrived, he had already died.
The family believes he was exposed at work. A spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment, citing family privacy.
“Neff was never scared” of catching the virus at work, Rios said. “You take an oath to take care of people, no matter what.”
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 19, 2020
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His Warmth And Generosity Brought Diverse Clients To His Pharmacy
(Courtesy of the Titi family)
Saif Titi
Age: 72
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: Noble Pharmacy in Jersey City, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
When the pandemic hit, Saif Titi was working six days a week at his Jersey City pharmacy and had no interest in slowing down. As was his way, he wanted to be helpful.
“He didn’t really run it as a business,” said Titi’s son, Justin. “He wasn’t trying to make profit. He was really just trying to help people.”
Titi was born in Jaffa in the last days of British rule in Palestine and grew up a refugee in the Gaza Strip. After studying in Egypt, Austria and Spain, he immigrated to New Jersey in 1972 and bought Noble Pharmacy a decade later.
The pharmacy became a fixture in the community, known as a place immigrants could go for help and advice, often in their native language. If they couldn’t afford medication, Titi would give it to them for free. “All different types of people from different cultures would come and they would instantly fall in love with him,” Justin said.
Active in the local Arab American community, Titi gave to charity and sent money home regularly. A Facebook tribute included dozens of stories of his generosity and mentorship. “We all lost the sweetest and the most noble man on earth,” wrote one relative.
Titi, a father of three adult children, developed symptoms of COVID-19 in late March. He died in the hospital on April 7. His wife, Rachelle, also became infected and has taken some six weeks to recover. In quarantine, the family has been unable to grieve together.
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 19, 2020
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Social Worker Was A ‘Big Voice’ In His Community
(Courtesy of Donna Welch)
Gerald Welch
Age: 56
Occupation: Social worker and behavioral specialist
Place of Work: Opportunity Behavioral Health in Reading, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: April 15, 2020
Donna Welch had sworn she would “never, ever, ever get married again.” Then Gerald appeared.
They met on MySpace, and she quickly realized that “our spirits connected.” On their first date, at Donna’s house in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gerald proposed — and Donna said yes. “It was like he came down on a bolt of lightning from heaven,” she said.
Gerald’s fiery passion and courage to speak out served him as a boardroom advocate for underperforming students in the school district, and at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where he resurrected a scholarship now named in his honor.
“He had a big voice,” Donna said, “and he was not afraid to use it.” His “Families, Organizations and Communities United in Service” podcast combined Gerald’s lived experience overcoming drugs and his spirituality to support others struggling with addiction.
So even as the state’s COVID cases mounted, Gerald was a dutiful companion for his clients with severe autism — he took them to the supermarket in Lancaster and the laundromat in Lebanon. “Wherever they needed to go, he went,” Donna said. “He cared so much for them, and they loved him dearly.”
“We all did,” she added.
— Eli Cahan | Published May 19, 2020
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Hardworking Immigrant Realized His Dream To Practice Medicine In US
Jesus Manuel Zambrano and his son, Jesus Manuel Jr.
(Courtesy of the Zambrano family)
Jesus Manuel Zambrano
Age: 54
Occupation: Pediatrician
Place of Work: Private practice in Freeport, New York; attending physician at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Jesus Manuel Zambrano studied medicine in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to New York in the 1990s.
He hustled, working in fast food and as a school bus driver between studies, his wife, Sandra, said. He completed his residency in 2010.
In the meantime, they had two children: Jesus Manuel Jr., 22, and Angelyne Ofelia, 18. Jesus Manuel Jr., who uses a wheelchair, never veered far from his father during family outings to restaurants and parks, and Holy Week vacations.
Zambrano’s bond with his son informed his care for his patients. “There was not a single day we met and talked when we didn’t talk about his son,” said Dr. Magda Mendez, a former colleague.
Zambrano spent days in private practice, Sandra said, and in the evenings treated others at the hospital, which saw COVID cases.
In early March, he felt ill. He took the next day off — a rare occurrence, Sandra said. He was taken to the hospital where he worked, where he died after a week and a half of care.
In becoming a physician in the United States, Zambrano had realized his lifelong dream. He wished the same for his family.
“He had a lot of plans for his children, a lot of dreams,” Sandra said. “He took them with him.”
— Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, Kaiser Health News | Published May 15, 2020
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Quick-Witted And Quick To Serve, Firefighter ‘Always Had Your Back’
(Courtesy of the Zerman family)
Robert Zerman
Age: 49
Occupation: Volunteer firefighter
Place of Work: Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 in Robesonia, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
Anyone who met Robert Zerman would see two things: He was devoted to firefighting and emergency medical services, and he had a quick sense of humor.
“He probably went on tens of thousands of calls,” said Anthony Tucci, CEO of the Western Berks Ambulance Association. Tucci, who knew Zerman for over three decades, added, “he always had your back, always knew his stuff.”
Most recently, Zerman was a volunteer assistant fire chief. He responded to an emergency in March in which the patient had COVID-19 symptoms.
“That was before there was really any guidance to wear PPE,” Tucci said.
Soon Zerman got sick, leading the family to suspect that he’d contracted the coronavirus on that call, Tucci said. Zerman tested positive and was hospitalized. He seemed to be improving before taking a bad turn.
Berks County, in eastern Pennsylvania, is among the state’s hardest hit, recording around 3,500 total cases and nearly 200 deaths by mid-May.
Representatives from two dozen first responder agencies lined the streets for Zerman’s funeral procession.
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 19, 2020
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Lighthearted Nurse ‘Lit Up the Room’
(Courtesy of Alisa Bowens)
Linda Bonaventura
Age: 45
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Wildwood Healthcare Center in Indianapolis
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Even on bad days, Linda Bonaventura’s lighthearted sense of humor made people feel better, her sister Alisa Bowens said.
Bonaventura dedicated her career to children with special needs and seniors. She did her best to keep her spirits up while working 16-hour days.
“We like to say she was laughter,” Bowens said. “She lit up the room.”
In a statement, Ethan Peak, executive director of Wildwood, called Bonaventura a dedicated nurse who “would do anything for her residents and co-workers.”
As the list of patients and employees with COVID-19 grew longer at Wildwood, Bonaventura refused to live in fear, Bowens said.
Bowens recalled the day her sister confessed she was spraying herself with Lysol to kill the germs on her clothes. She did the same for a co-worker. A Wildwood spokesperson said the nursing home had sufficient personal protective equipment for employees.
The sisters, in one of their last conversations, told each other they would be at peace if death came during the pandemic. A short time later, Bonaventura tested positive for COVID-19. Just a week after coming down with a sore throat and fever, she died.
“She believed in fate,” Bowens said. “We shared that belief. But it was still a shock.”
— Cara Anthony | Published May 15, 2020
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Nurse’s Death Ripples Through The Heart Of An Extended Community
(Courtesy of Courtney Christian)
Sheila Faye Christian
Age: 66
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Care Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia
Date of Death: April 19, 2020
So many people are mourning the death of Sheila Christian, her daughter set up a website to comfort them all.
Christian was a longtime friend of Tina Knowles-Lawson ― the mother of Beyoncé — who posted about the loss on Instagram.
But Christian was also a superstar at the center where she worked for 26 years and among those who knew her. She was the kind of person who brought lunch to a new co-worker and hosted a baby shower for someone without close family, according to her daughter and a memorial board.
At the outset of the COVID crisis, Christian was not given personal protective equipment, her daughter, Courtney Christian, 30. She said her mother received a mask only in late March. A lawyer for the center acknowledged Christian’s death and said federal guidelines were followed but didn’t respond to specific questions about protective gear.
Christian was diagnosed April 2. She endured more than a week of fever, chills and coughing, but seemed to be on the mend. She had been cleared to return to work when she collapsed at home. An outpouring of grief followed, her daughter said.
“She just helped and cared for so many people,” she said. “People I had never met.”
— JoNel Aleccia, Kaiser Health News | Published May 15, 2020
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At Work, Church And Home, Army Veteran Gave It His All
(Courtesy of Shlonda Clark)
Roy Chester Coleman
Age: 64
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana
Date of Death: April 6, 2020
Shlonda Clark calls her father her “favorite superhero.”
It was one of Roy Coleman’s many roles. For the past 11 years, the Army veteran and EMT worked as a housekeeper at the VA hospital in his hometown. He was a church deacon, Sunday school teacher and usher. He also volunteered with special-needs adults.
Roy had a big family, with three children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“He was funny, he was kind, he was giving,” said Mabel Coleman, his wife of 40 years.
“If he didn’t like you, something was wrong with you,” added Clark.
Coleman fell ill March 23. After three trips to the emergency room, he was admitted March 27, with a fever and labored breathing.
“It was the last time I saw him,” Mabel said.
He tested positive for COVID-19 and died at the hospital where he had worked.
His family said he was concerned about the lack of personal protective equipment. The VA medical center said by email it “has and continues to use PPE in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
— Katja Ridderbusch | Published May 15, 2020
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Beloved Doctor Made House Calls, Treated Patients Like Family
(Courtesy of the Giuliano family)
Michael Giuliano
Age: 64
Occupation: Family practice physician
Place of Work: Mountainside Medical Group in Nutley, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 18, 2020
For 39 years, Michael Giuliano practiced old-fashioned family medicine.
He made house calls. He visited his patients in the hospital rather than asking another physician to check in on them. He saw generations of the same family.
“Some patients would show up here at the house,’” said Giuliano’s wife, Marylu, a nurse and the office manager of his solo practice. “Patients would call and he’d say, ‘Come on over, I’ll check you out.’ He always went above and beyond.”
A father of five and a grandfather of four, Giuliano was jovial, with a quirky sense of humor and love of Peanuts characters, especially Charlie Brown. He liked to tell patients, “I’ll fix you up.”
“He treated all of his patients like family,” said Nutley Mayor Joseph Scarpelli.
When COVID-19 hit the U.S., Giuliano ordered N95 masks, his family said, but suppliers were out and sent surgical masks instead. Giuliano wore two at a time.
The week of March 16, Giuliano saw four patients with respiratory symptoms who later tested positive for COVID-19. About two weeks later, he tested positive.
Giuliano continued to see patients from home using telemedicine until he was hospitalized. He died 11 days later.
— Michelle Crouch | Published May 15, 2020
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He Tried To Reassure His Family Until The End
(Courtesy of Sheryl Pabatao)
Alfredo Pabatao
Age: 68
Occupation: Orderly
Place of Work: Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 26, 2020
After 44 years of marriage, Alfredo Pabatao still bought his wife, Susana, flowers.
“They were that type of couple that you rarely see nowadays,” their youngest daughter, Sheryl Pabatao, 30, said. “They set such a high standard for us, their kids — that may be the reason why I’m still single.” She said her father was a patient man who could fix just about anything.
The Pabataos came from Quezon City, just outside Manila, in the Philippines. Alfredo worked at a car dealership, and Sheryl said she and her siblings grew up comfortably.
But the couple wanted more for their five children, and immigrated to the United States in October 2011. “The first year that we were here, was really, really tough,” Sheryl remembered. Her oldest two siblings, already adults by the time the Pabataos’ immigration application cleared, had to stay behind.
Alfredo found a job as an orderly at a hospital in New Jersey, where he worked for nearly two decades. In mid-March, he told his family he had transported a patient with signs of COVID-19; he fell ill days later. In a statement, his employer wrote: “We have policies and procedures in place to protect our team members and patients that are all in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
Sheryl said the family’s last conversation with her father was via FaceTime, with him on his hospital bed. Connected to oxygen, he insisted he wasn’t gravely ill. He made jokes and even demonstrated yoga poses to reassure his wife and children. He died soon after.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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A ‘Selfless’ Mother Who ‘Always Had The Right Words’
(Courtesy of Sheryl Pabatao)
Susana Pabatao
Age: 64
Occupation: Assistant nurse
Place of Work: Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 30, 2020
Susana Pabatao became a nurse in her late 40s, after her family immigrated to the United States.
It eased some of her longing for her own mother, whom she had left behind in the Philippines, her daughter, Sheryl Pabatao said. “It helped her to know that she was helping other people — something that she couldn’t do for my grandmother,” Sheryl said. Susana treated her older patients as if they were her own parents, she added.
Susana was warm, selfless and a constant source of comfort. Sheryl said, “My mom always had the right words.”
Susana’s husband, Alfredo Pabatao, began showing symptoms of COVID-19 in mid-March, and Susana became ill soon after. Sheryl, who described the two as “inseparable,” said: “When my dad got sick, it’s like part of her was not there anymore.”
Alfredo was hospitalized, and Susana spent her last days at home resting and speaking with him on FaceTime. Sheryl, who lived with her parents, said she overheard the two console each other one morning. “My mom was telling my dad, ‘We’ve gone through so many things, we’re going to get through this.”
Alfredo died on March 26. Susana died four days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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Air Force Doctor Had Served In The White House
(Courtesy of the Medical Center of Annandale)
Steven Perez
Age: 68
Occupation: Internal medicine physician
Place of Work: Medical Center of Annandale in Annandale, Virginia
Date of Death: May 7, 2020
When George H.W. Bush announced his 1988 run for the presidency, Steven Perez was one of the doctors who gave him a clean bill of health.
An “Air Force brat” who was born in the United Kingdom, Perez served as a flight surgeon and medical director in the Air Force Medical Service Corps before practicing as a physician in the White House from 1986 to 1990, according to a statement from his family.
“It was the honor of his life,” his son, Benjamin Perez, said.
Perez went into private practice in San Antonio in the early ’90s before opening his own clinic in Northern Virginia. He also taught at the University of Virginia.
According to his family, he made a promise to God and “never refused medical aid to the poor who came to his office, even accepting yams as payment on occasion.”
Perez’s family describes him as a proud grandfather to his three grandchildren (with two more on the way); he loved the University of Southern California Trojan football, the Dallas Cowboys and the Nationals.
“He could make anyone laugh, knew just what to say, and showed profound love for his friends and family,” his family wrote in an obituary. “Every person he met felt like they were the reason he was there.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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She Jumped At Chance To Lend Her Nursing Skills To Her Beloved New York
(Courtesy of the Sell family)
Rosemary Sell
Age: 80
Occupation: Pediatric nurse practitioner
Place of Work: New York City public schools
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Rosemary Sell was a New Yorker through and through. Born in Washington Heights in northern Manhattan, she went to nursing school in Greenwich Village and raised her five boys on the Lower East Side.
In the 1960s, she traveled to Berlin, where she worked as a nurse for the British army and met her future husband, Peter. A lifelong love of travel was born. Gregarious and high-energy by nature, she loved meeting new people. “Wherever she’d go, she’d make a new friend,” said her son, also named Peter.
In later years, Sell spent much of her time in Florida. But she jumped at opportunities to lend her nursing skills to her home city and see her grandchildren and friends.
In February, she was contacted by a firm that places nurses on temporary assignments. Her children were concerned about the encroaching pandemic, especially given her age. “But they need a nurse,” she responded. She traveled to New York to fill in as a nurse at several schools citywide just as the pandemic took hold. The firm, Comprehensive Resources, did not respond to questions on protections for its contractors.
Sell began developing symptoms in mid-March, just before the citywide school closure went into effect. She returned home to Florida, where she died from pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
Before Rosemary died, she had been hatching her next adventure with a friend: to travel to India. She wanted to see the Taj Mahal.
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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A Hands-On Pharmacist Who Made The Big City Feel Smaller
(Courtesy of Zair Yasin)
Ali Yasin
Age: 67
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: New York City Pharmacy in East Village, Manhattan
Date of Death: May 4, 2020
Ali Yasin was a small-town druggist in a big city filled with impersonal, chain-store pharmacies. He found a way to operate a robust business and still be on a first-name basis with his customers. Over the years, he became their medical consultant, insurance whisperer and friend.
Jen Masser said she stumbled into Yasin’s pharmacy the first time, covered from hands to elbows in hives. “Something is happening, see someone right away,” Yasin advised. “This could be a serious disease.” He turned out to be right, encouraging her to keep seeing doctors until she finally got the proper autoimmune diagnosis.
Born in Pakistan, Yasin moved to the United States in 1979 and worked in various pharmacies before opening his own in 2001. He ran it with the help of his four sons.
In March, after serving customers in hard-hit Manhattan in his typical hands-on manner, Yasin contracted a cough and tested positive for COVID-19. By month’s end, he was in the hospital on a ventilator. He died May 4.
The storefront window of the Yasin family pharmacy is pasted with condolence cards. Son Zair Yasin said the outpouring has been immense: “I didn’t realize until he was gone how many people he touched.”
— Kathleen Horan | Published May 15, 2020
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Nurse Wouldn’t Abandon Her Patients Or Let Family Worry
(Courtesy of the Isaacs family)
Marsha Bantle
Age: 65
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Signature Healthcare in Newburgh, Indiana
Date of Death: May 1, 2020
Marsha Bantle’s family begged her to quit after a resident in the nursing home where she worked was diagnosed with COVID-19.
But Bantle wouldn’t leave. “My patients can’t leave their rooms, they can’t see their families. They really need me right now,’” she told her cousin Carol Isaacs.
Bantle tried to reassure relatives she would limit her exposure, but, on April 17, her temperature spiked. Bantle, who lived alone, holed up at home. She finally called her family when it was clear she needed to be hospitalized.
“That’s Marsha for you,” her cousin John Isaacs said. “She didn’t want us to worry.”
Even while hospitalized, Bantle was selfless, said Shay Gould, the ICU nurse who cared for her. She offered to turn off her medication pump to save the nurse a trip. She asked for other patients’ names to pray for them.
After about a week, Bantle had a stroke, likely brought on by the COVID-19 infection. Within days, she died.
Since April, the nursing home has had 52 positive cases and 13 COVID-19 deaths, including Bantle’s. In a statement, Signature Healthcare said: “The loss of any of our residents or staff, for any reason, is devastating.”
— Michelle Crouch | Published May 12, 2020
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Pharmacist, Feeling Sick, Didn’t Want To Let Patients Down
(Courtesy of the Boynes family)
Sean Boynes
Age: 46
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: AbsoluteCare Medical Center & Pharmacy in Greenbelt, Maryland
Date of Death: April 2, 2020
When the coronavirus began circulating in the Washington metropolitan region, Sean Boynes went to work.
“Patients need their medicine,” he told his wife, Nicole.
The medical center where he worked bills itself as “a medical home for the sickest of the sick”; many of its patients struggle with chronic illness and poverty. Boynes was the Greenbelt branch’s first pharmacist.
He was an “incredible, loving guy,” said Dr. Gregory Foti, chief of innovative operations at AbsoluteCare.
Boynes was a proud Howard University alumnus and had three degrees — a bachelor’s of science in biology, a master’s in exercise physiology and a doctorate in pharmacy — from the institution.
In early March, Boynes and his wife began feeling sick. Boynes didn’t want to stop working but thought “taking a sick day might be OK,” Nicole said. He also took a break from being a jungle gym to his eight- and 11-year-old girls. Nicole called him “Super Dad.”
Nicole got better, but Sean, who had asthma, saw his breathing deteriorate.
On March 25, Nicole dropped him at the hospital doors. The medical staff confirmed COVID-19. The family never saw him again.
Foti said AbsoluteCare follows CDC recommendations, such as providing staff with face masks, and declined to comment on where Boynes became infected. He said “it was literally impossible to tell” where Boynes had contracted the virus.
To honor him, AbsoluteCare is naming the Greenbelt pharmacy after Boynes.
— Sarah Jane Tribble, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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A Spry EMT, He Made ‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’
(Courtesy of Toni Lorenc)
John Careccia
Age: 74
Occupation: Emergency medical technician and rescue squad chief
Place of Work: Woodbridge Township Ambulance and Rescue Squad in Iselin, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
“That’s not the way you throw a curveball!” John Careccia famously declared to his grandson at a family picnic, according to his daughter, Toni Lorenc. Careccia then threw the ball so wide that it broke a window in her shed.
“That’s how you throw the batter off,” he said, brushing off the mishap.
“Typical Pop-Pop,” Lorenc said. “He had so much confidence in himself.”
Careccia, who worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 30 years, harnessed his self-confidence into a second career. Inspired by two EMTs who saved his son’s life, he became a volunteer EMT in 1993. A consummate educator, he taught CPR, mentored young EMTs and gave catechism classes at his church, Lorenc said.
A spry 74, Careccia responded to 911 calls as chief of his rescue squad, a volunteer position. On a March 25 call, he evaluated a coronavirus patient, said Ed Barrett, squad president. Careccia died of COVID-19 several weeks later.
At his firehouse memorial service, Careccia was summoned over a loudspeaker for his “last call.”
“Having heard no response from Chief Careccia, we know that John has made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Steve Packer, a previous squad president. “His leadership, dedication, compassion and friendship will be greatly missed.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 12, 2020
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Police Officer Turned Nurse Practitioner Was Pursuing A Doctorate
(Courtesy of Dennis Graiani)
Kevin Graiani
Age: 56
Occupation: Family nurse practitioner
Place of Work: Rockland Medical Group in Garnerville, New York
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Kevin Graiani always wanted to work in health care, according to Dennis Graiani, one of his three sons. But his mother told him he needed a pension, so he became a cop.
Kevin, who grew up in the Bronx, served five years on the New York City Housing Authority police force, then 15 on a suburban police force in Spring Valley, New York. He was a “brilliant officer,” said Lt. Jack Bosworth of Spring Valley.
Known for his dry sense of humor, Kevin often rattled off quotes from movies. He played bagpipes for the Rockland County Police Emerald Society, a law enforcement group. When he retired from police work, he began nursing school and became a nurse practitioner in 2018.
Kevin, who worked at a private practice, became sick on March 10 and was later diagnosed with COVID-19, Dennis said.
He loved learning and was set to finish classes this summer for his doctorate of nursing practice, said Lynne Weissman, his professor and program director at Dominican College.
He was an “extremely bright student” with a 3.7 GPA, Weissman said.
She has nominated him for a posthumous degree.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 12, 2020
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School Nurse ‘Was A Mother To Many’
(Courtesy of the Howard family)
Marilyn Howard
Age: 53
Occupation: School nurse
Place of Work: Spring Creek Community School in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Marilyn Howard was known for her generosity and never missing a party. Born in Guyana, she came to the U.S. as a teenager. She helped raise her five brothers, putting her ambitions on hold. “She was a mother to many,” her brother Haslyn said.
In her mid-30s, she turned to her own career goals. She steadily racked up four nursing degrees and recently had begun studying to become a nurse practitioner.
Howard, who lived in Queens, New York, was a school nurse in Brooklyn, where she regularly treated children with chronic illnesses associated with poverty. The week before the pandemic shuttered schools, a fellow nurse had a fever and cough.
Days later, Howard developed the same symptoms. After initially improving, she took a sudden turn for the worse April 4. As her brother drove her to the hospital, her heart stopped. She was declared dead at the hospital.
In tribute, hundreds turned out on Zoom to mark Nine-Night — a days-long wake tradition in the Caribbean — where loved ones shared photos, sang songs and recounted Howard’s effect on their lives.
The pandemic has since ripped through Howard’s extended family, infecting at least a dozen relatives. (One cousin was hospitalized but was released and is recovering.) The family has evolved into a sprawling triage team, monitoring one another’s temperatures, delivering food, charting emergency contacts and nearby hospitals.
Howard’s brothers hope to start a foundation in her name to help aspiring nurses in the U.S. and West Indies. “The best way to honor her spirit and her memory is to bring more nurses into this world,” said her brother Rawle. “We need more Marilyns around.”
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 12, 2020
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Post-Retirement, She Tirelessly Rejoined Workforce
(Courtesy Bethany MacDonald)
Nancy MacDonald
Age: 74
Occupation: Receptionist
Place of Work: Orchard View Manor, a nursing home and rehabilitation center in East Providence, Rhode Island
Date of Death: April 25, 2020
Nancy MacDonald tried retiring, but couldn’t make it stick.
For 20 years, she was a middle school teaching assistant and cheerleading coach. At home, she loved painting rocks and watching “Blue Bloods” and “American Idol.” She was married with two adult children.
A lifelong Rhode Islander, Nancy was a people person, her daughter, Bethany MacDonald, said. “She always wanted to help others.”
So, in 2017, it was natural that she’d go back to work, this time at a nursing home.
As Orchard View’s COVID case count escalated, MacDonald worried. Still, she kept coming in — washing and reusing her N95 respirator and having her temperature taken daily.
Tim Brown, an Orchard View spokesperson, said the facility has “extensive infection control,” satisfying government guidelines. He would not say how often employees receive new N95s.
On April 13, MacDonald began coughing. By April 16, she was hospitalized. Her COVID test came back positive. She died 10 days later ― almost a week after her last conversation with her daughter.
“I said, ‘Mama, we love you,’” Bethany said. “The last words she said to me were, ‘I love you, too.’”
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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Despite Danger, Semi-Retired Nurse Kept Caring For ER Patients
(Courtesy of the Miles family)
Sheena Miles
Age: 60
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Scott Regional Hospital in Morton, Mississippi
Date of Death: May 1, 2020
At age 60, Sheena Miles was semi-retired. She usually worked every other weekend, but as COVID-19 emerged in Mississippi, she worked four weekends in a row from mid-March to mid-April.
“I’ve got a duty,” she told her son, Tom Miles.
The economy where she lived is dominated by poultry plants, and the county has been a coronavirus hot spot. Sheena was diligent with protective gear, wearing her mask and doubling up on gloves, Tom said. She stayed home when she wasn’t working.
“Losing Sheena has been a tragic loss, as she had been a part of our hospital for 25 years,” said Heather Davis, a hospital administrator.
Sheena took ill on Easter Sunday. By Thursday, Tommy Miles, her husband of 43 years, drove her to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Two long weeks passed. The family was allowed to say goodbye in person, and on their way into her room, an ICU nurse told them that years ago Sheena had cared for his infant daughter. “‘Your mom saved her life,’” the nurse said.
“That was a little comfort in the storm,” Sheena’s son said.
— Michaela Gibson Morris | Published May 12, 2020
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A Nurse Who Was Living Her Dream Of Working In The U.S.
(Courtesy of Venus Donasco-Delfin)
Anjanette Miller
Age: 38
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Community First Medical Center and Kindred Chicago Lakeshore in Chicago, and Bridgeway Senior Living in Bensenville, Illinois
Date of Death: April 14, 2020
As a child, Anjanette Miller dreamed of becoming a nurse in the U.S. She studied in her native Philippines and worked briefly in Saudi Arabia before fulfilling her wish in 2001.
Miller settled in Chicago and worked as a supervising nurse at three facilities. Her sister, Venus Donasco-Delfin, said Miller got along well with co-workers who shared her work ethic.
“At work, I think, she was strict, but beyond work, she’s a great friend,” Donasco-Delfin said. One of five siblings, she was the “pillar of the family” and supported relatives back home.
“I studied psychology for two years,” Donasco-Delfin said, “but she kept calling me [in the Philippines] and said, ‘No, Venus. … You have to pursue nursing. You will make a difference.’” Donasco-Delfin, now in Canada, became a nurse.
Miller started feeling sick in mid-March and was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early April. She self-isolated, chronicling her illness on YouTube and Facebook. She was hospitalized April 5 and died nine days later.
Miller had hoped to retire to the Philippines and pursue her other passion, filmmaking. Last year she traveled back home to shoot scenes for a project. “The movie she was making is about her life story,” Donasco-Delfin said. “But it’s not finished yet.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 12, 2020
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He Took The Time To Put Patients At Ease
(Courtesy of Holy Name Medical Center)
Jesus Villaluz
Age: 75
Occupation: Patient transport worker
Place of Work: Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 3, 2020
After Jesus Villaluz died from COVID-19 complications, colleagues lined the hallway at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, to say goodbye. They’d never done that for anyone else.
“Jesus knew many and meant a lot to all of us, so this gesture felt like the right thing to do,” said hospital spokesperson Nicole Urena.
The hospital, and surrounding Bergen County, have been hit hard by the pandemic. By May 8, Holy Name had treated more than 6,000 COVID patients, 181 of whom died.
Villaluz worked at Holy Name for 27 years. In a Facebook post, the hospital memorialized Villaluz’s generosity: He once won a raffle and shared the winnings with colleagues, an anecdote New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy repeated at a news conference. Family members declined requests for an interview.
Co-worker Hossien Dahdouli said Villaluz’s compassion for patients was exemplary. He never rushed anyone, took the time to chat with patients and was always concerned for their privacy and safety, Dahdouli said.
Years ago, after Dahdouli had a sad day caring for deteriorating ICU patients, he asked Villaluz why he always appeared so happy.
“He said, ‘My worst day at work is better than someone’s best day as a patient.’”
— Anna Almendrala, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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Family Vacations And Reggae Gave Rhythm To His Life
(Courtesy of Nina Batayola)
Don Ryan Batayola
Age: 40
Occupation: Occupational therapist
Place of Work: South Mountain Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Vauxhall, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
April 4 was the day Don and Nina Batayola had planned to leave for London on a 10-day European vacation. Instead, that was the day Don died of COVID-19.
The Springfield, New Jersey, couple loved to travel ― on their own or with their children, Zoie, 10, and Zeth, 8. Disney World. Road trips to Canada. Every year for a week they would savor the beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Don’s love of reggae music prompted a trip to Jamaica to visit Bob Marley’s birthplace.
The Batayolas, both occupational therapists, moved to New Jersey from the Philippines 13 years ago to pursue their careers.
“He loved to help,” Nina said. “He had such the ability to make everybody smile or laugh.”
Don worked with at least one patient and a handful of colleagues who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, and in late March, he developed symptoms. Nina came home from work for lunch on March 31 to find him struggling to breathe. She dialed 911.
He was hospitalized, then she also developed COVID symptoms. Self-isolating at home, Nina talked with Don once a day. She thought he seemed stronger but, on the fourth day, his heart suddenly stopped.
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 8, 2020
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Even On ‘The Saddest Day … She Could Make You Laugh’
(Courtesy of Kim Bruner)
Brittany Bruner-Ringo
Age: 32
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Silverado Beverly Place in Los Angeles
Date of Death: April 20, 2020
When it was Brittany Bruner-Ringo’s turn to pick the family vacation, it was always New Orleans. A city so full of life.
And that is how family described the 32-year-old who left the Oklahoma plains for the excitement of Southern California.
“She always made the best of things,” her mother, Kim Bruner, said. “It could be the saddest day, and she could make you laugh.”
Bruner-Ringo worked at a dementia care center. On March 19, she admitted a patient flown in from New York. She suspected he might have COVID-19, and she was nervous. For fear of frightening the patients, she hadn’t been allowed to wear a mask or gloves, she told her mom by phone that night. (A spokesperson from her employer said, “We have no issues in our environment using appropriate masking and gloves and have followed CDC guidelines throughout this pandemic. We have always had adequate PPE to protect our residents and associates.”)
The following day, the patient grew worse. Bruner-Ringo checked into a hotel to isolate from her roommate. She later tested positive for COVID-19, but when she developed symptoms did not complain ― even to her mom: “She would say, ‘I’m fine. I’m going to beat this. Don’t worry about me.’”
Bruner, a veteran nurse herself, called the hotel front desk for help getting an ambulance to her daughter. She had just hung up with her daughter, who insisted she was fine, while struggling to breathe.
— Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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He And His Wife Shared A Lust For Travel ― And A COVID Diagnosis
(Courtesy of LaKita Bush)
Joshua Bush
Age: 30
Occupation: Nurse and nursing student
Place of Work: Benton House of Aiken in Aiken, South Carolina
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Joshua Bush never let his wife, LaKita, forget that she was five hours late for their first date.
“He never held back telling the truth,” LaKita said, with a doleful laugh.
They met online in 2011, each attracted to the other’s lust for travel. For Joshua’s 30th birthday, they took a cruise to Bermuda. He yearned to go farther afield to Tokyo to revel over anime.
Joshua began his nursing career after high school, eventually ending up at Benton House of Aiken, an assisted living facility. Joshua and LaKita, who works in human resources for a hospital, thought it was allergy-related when they both fell ill in late March. Benton House had no confirmed COVID cases at the time, LaKita said. Even still, the staff was taking precautions.
A doctor prescribed Joshua flu medication, but his symptoms — fever and aches but no cough — worsened, and he was admitted to a hospital in Augusta, Georgia, on April 4.
“That was the last time I saw him alive,” LaKita said.
Over the next few days, both tested positive for the coronavirus. Joshua was sedated in the hospital for two weeks and died on April 17. LaKita recovered at home.
Joshua was earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. May would have marked the couple’s fifth anniversary.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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Her Sudden Death Blindsided Husband And Autistic Son
(Courtesy of Vincent Carmello)
Karen Carmello
Age: 57
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Maryhaven Center of Hope in Port Jefferson Station, New York
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
Karen Carmello had an intimate understanding of working with intellectually disabled patients.
Her 26-year-old son, Steven, has autism. According to her husband, Vincent, the two spoke by phone every day. Steven would recall exactly what he did, and Karen listened intently.
“She could do no wrong in his eyes, ever,” Vincent said. “It’s a very special bond, but it’s one that she earned.”
Sharing the news of her death was shattering: “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do — letting him know.”
When Karen took ill, she discovered that a patient in her ward had tested positive for COVID-19. She was hospitalized March 23. Eight days later, she sent Vincent her last text, at 2:17 a.m., before going to the ICU.
On April 16, hospital staff called and asked whether Vincent would be comfortable signing a do-not-resuscitate order. He hadn’t been able to see his wife, so he didn’t completely grasp how grave her condition was.
“I thought, ‘OK, this must be a formality,'” he said. “I authorized it. And I got a call within two hours that she passed. I was stunned.”
— Shoshana Dubnow, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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His Facebook Posts Left Clues Of A Tragic Timeline
(Courtesy of Felicia Dodson-Hill)
Maurice Dotson
Age: 51
Occupation: Certified nursing assistant
Place of Work: West Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Austin, Texas
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Maurice Dotson’s sister knew something was wrong when her older brother didn’t post his daily Facebook update.
“We knew he was good as long as he posted every morning,” Felicia Dodson-Hill, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, said.
Dotson, 51 ― a certified nursing assistant for 25 years at the West Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Austin — had begun caring for COVID-19 patients.
He sounded positive on Facebook, posting on March 30: “We are going through scary, difficult times, but better days are coming.”
Days later, family in Arkansas couldn’t reach him.
“We had been trying to get in contact with him since April 1st,” his sister said. “On April 3rd, he posted that he had to go to the hospital ― that he was not feeling good.”
Dodson-Hill said the hospital sent him home. Her mother finally reached him on April 6 or 7.
“He told my mom he didn’t have the energy to barely talk,” Dodson-Hill said.
Dawunna Wilson, a cousin from Hazen, Arkansas, said Maurice called an ambulance on April 8. Results from his coronavirus test done at the hospital came back positive the next day. “From there, it was pretty much downhill,” Wilson said.
— Sharon Jayson | Published May 5, 2020
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Community Salutes Nurse Who Loved Baseball
(Courtesy of Leigh Ann Lewis)
Barbara Finch
Age: 63
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center in Emporia, Virginia
Date of Death: March 29, 2020
When Barbara Finch got excited, she’d scrunch her hands into fists and wave them around like a kid at Christmas. She did it when the Atlanta Braves scored, or while watching her grandkids play baseball, her No. 1 passion outside work.
Finch spent her 37-year nursing career in the emergency department of the hospital in Emporia, Virginia (population of about 5,000), where one of her four children, Leigh Ann Lewis, worked as an EMT.
Lewis knew her mother was well liked: Patients she transported from the hospital would rave that Finch had been sweet and compassionate.
Finch fell ill on March 17 and died in an ICU 12 days later. As a hearse carried her casket to the graveyard, Lewis said, people lined the way at driveway mailboxes, churches and stores, holding signs that read, “We love you,” “Praying for you,” “Hugs.” At her hospital, employees released balloons to the sky.
“It seemed like, in our area, she knew everybody — either she worked with them, or they were a patient of hers at some point,” Lewis said. “It was a very, very large outpour of love and comfort and solidarity.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 8, 2020
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‘He Loved To Work,’ With No Plans To Retire
(Courtesy Giancarlo Pattugalan)
Tomas Pattugalan
Age: 70
Occupation: Internal medicine physician
Place of Work: Private practice in Jamaica, Queens, New York
Date of Death: March 29, 2020
Tomas Pattugalan’s kids had been encouraging him to retire. Even after 45 years of medicine, Pattugalan wasn’t ready to slow down.
“He loved his patients. He loved to work. He loved to help others,” said Giancarlo, his son. “He had an enormous capacity to give of himself.”
A father of three, Pattugalan grew up in the Philippines, immigrating to the U.S. in the 1970s. He was a devout Catholic — attending Mass weekly ― and “karaoke master,” Giancarlo said.
In early March, Pattugalan began testing patients for COVID-19. His medical history, including a family history of strokes and high blood pressure, heightened his own risk. So after tests of two patients returned positive, he got tested himself. On March 24, he learned he had the coronavirus.
“He made a joke and said Prince Charles had tested [positive] too, and he was sharing royalty,” Giancarlo said. “He was making light of it, not trying to get any of us worried.”
Pattugalan had a cough. Then came wheezing. His oxygen levels dropped. He tried hydroxychloroquine, an experimental treatment touted by President Donald Trump that has yielded mixed results. Nothing helped.
On March 29, Pattugalan agreed to seek hospital care. He died that day.
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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Says Widow Battling Cancer: ‘He Was My Backbone’
(Courtesy of Melissa Castro Santos)
Darrin Santos
Age: 50
Occupation: Transportation supervisor
Place of Work: NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center in White Plains, New York
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Melissa Castro Santos had just started a new treatment for multiple myeloma when her husband, Darrin, got sick.
For nearly two weeks, he isolated in their bedroom, but after he began gasping for air, he went to the hospital. He died of COVID-19 days later.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Castro Santos said.
As a transportation supervisor, Santos delivered health care workers and equipment between hospitals in the New York metropolitan area. He loved his job, Castro Santos said, and was known to drive doctors wherever and whenever they were needed, through heavy traffic and snowstorms.
Castro Santos, who has been battling cancer since 2012, said her husband doted on their three teenagers, all avid athletes. He arranged his work schedule to attend as many of their games as possible. When he couldn’t make it, she would call him on FaceTime so he could catch glimpses of the action.
Unable to hold a funeral, they arranged for burial five days after Santos died. Friends lined the streets in cars in a show of support as the family drove to and from the cemetery.
Now Castro Santos is confronting cancer without her husband. “He was my backbone. He was the one who took me to chemotherapy and appointments.”
— Anna Jean Kaiser, The Guardian | Published May 8, 2020
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An Animal Lover Who Loved Aerospace, She Died Alone At Home
(Courtesy of Aubree Farmer)
Lisa Ewald
Age: 53
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit
Date of Death: April 1, 2020
Lisa Ewald was a nurse to many living things, human and otherwise.
When her neighbor Alexis Fernandez’s border collie had a stomach blockage, Ewald hooked the dog up to an IV four times a day. “She was this dedicated nurse who nursed my dog back to health,” Fernandez said.
Ewald also loved gardening, aerospace and comic book conventions.
Ewald told Fernandez that a patient she had treated later tested positive for COVID-19, and that she was not wearing a mask at the time. Two days later, after seeing the patient, she got sick. After delays in accessing a test, she learned on March 30 that she was infected with the coronavirus.
A hospital spokesperson acknowledged that staff who treat coronavirus patients have a higher risk of exposure, but said there was “no way to confirm” how a staff member contracted the virus.
On March 31, Ewald didn’t answer when Fernandez texted her. The next day, Fernandez and a hospital nurse went to Ewald’s home to check on her and found her unresponsive on the couch.
“I said, ‘Aren’t you going to go take her pulse or anything?’” Fernandez said. “The nurse just said, ‘She’s gone.’”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 5, 2020
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An Ardent EMT Who Seemed To Have Nine Lives
(Courtesy of Ben Geiger)
Scott Geiger
Age: 47
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Atlantic Health System in Mountainside and Warren, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Scott Geiger wasn’t always enthusiastic about school, but at age 16 he brought home a tome the size of two phone books. It was a manual for emergency medical technicians, and he devoured it, said his younger brother, Ben Geiger.
Scott was certified as an EMT at 17. He never married or had kids, but did not seem to miss those things.
“He was so focused on being an EMT and helping people in their most vulnerable and desperate moments,” Ben said. “That’s really what made him feel good.”
Scott loved playing pool each week with friends. He was a loyal New York Jets football fan, content to joke about their follies and watch them lose. He was quiet. And he seemed to have nine lives, his brother said, surviving hospitalizations for epilepsy as a kid and blood cancer around age 40.
When the coronavirus began to tear a path through northern New Jersey, he faced his EMT work with resolve. He downplayed his symptoms when he first fell ill in late March, but wound up spending 17 days on a ventilator before he died. The family has had to mourn separately, with the brothers’ father, who lived with Scott, in quarantine, and their mother confined to her room in a nursing home that has COVID-19 cases.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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Caring Nurse ‘Always Put Herself Last’
(Courtesy of Lisa Lococo)
Theresa Lococo
Age: 68
Occupation: Pediatric nurse
Place of Work: Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: March 27, 2020
Theresa Lococo spent most of her life at the hospital, working as a pediatric nurse for almost 48 years.
“There wasn’t a day that goes by she wouldn’t come home and tell me about her patients,” said her daughter, Lisa Lococo. “She had to be forced to take her vacation days.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio publicly saluted her lifelong service to New Yorkers, saying, “She gave her life helping others.”
Theresa had dogs — “sometimes too many,” Lisa said — and lived with her son, Anthony, in the home she owned for decades. She loved cooking and watching cooking shows, reading and following soap operas.
Theresa wasn’t tested for COVID-19. But Kings County Hospital, in Brooklyn, was hit hard by the coronavirus.
Days before dying, she described nausea. Friends recalled a cough. Her supervisor encouraged her to stay home, her daughter said.
Lisa called her mother on March 27, just as Anthony was dialing 911 for help.
“She always put others first,” Lisa said. “She always put herself last.”
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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He Was Full Of Life And Planning For The Future
(Courtesy of the Luna family)
Felicisimo “Tom” Luna
Age: 62
Occupation: Emergency room nurse
Place of Work: Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 9, 2020
Tom Luna was a joker, a lively and outgoing man who thrived on the fast-paced and varied action of the emergency room. He also adored his three daughters, something clear to all who knew him.
“Tom was a fantastic emergency nurse. He was well liked and loved by his peers,” Gerard Muench, administrative director of the Trinitas emergency department, said in a statement. “His greatest love was for his wife and daughters, who he was very proud of.”
His oldest daughter, Gabrielle, 25, followed his path to become an ER nurse. When Tom fell ill with the coronavirus, he was admitted to the hospital where she works. At the end of her 12-hour night shifts, she made sure he had breakfast and helped him change his clothes. She propped a family photo next to his bed.
Tom’s wife, Kit, also a nurse, said that when some of his symptoms appeared to let up, they talked about him recovering at home. He was a planner, she said, and was already talking about their next family vacation, maybe to Spain.
— Christina Jewett | Published May 5, 2020
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Air Force Veteran Went ‘Above And Beyond For Patients’
Michael Marceaux and his wife, Dunia, when he graduated from nursing school in 2018 (Courtesy of Drake Marceaux)
Michael Marceaux
Age: 49
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Christus Highland Medical Center and Brentwood Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
After Michael Marceaux retired from the Air Force, he went back to school. In 2018 he launched a new career as an emergency room nurse.
“Everyone who worked with him said he was so happy,” said Drake Marceaux, one of his four sons. “He was willing to go above and beyond for patients.”
As the coronavirus spread throughout Louisiana, Michael developed a cough and fever. Soon afterward, he tested positive for COVID-19.
“He didn’t seem too worried,” Drake said. “He just wanted to make sure not to give it to other people.”
A spokesperson with Christus Health said Michael would be missed for “how he always had a positive attitude, even after a hard shift. His laughter brought joy to others.” The spokesperson declined to answer questions about workplace safety conditions.
Drake said he wanted his father to be remembered for how much he was loved.
His funeral was livestreamed on Facebook. “At one point, there were 2,000 viewers watching his service,” Drake said. “As much as he didn’t want attention, it gravitated toward him.”
— Victoria Knight, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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She Loved To Give Gifts And Never Forgot Her Hometown
(Courtesy of Courtesy of Donald Jay Marcos)
Celia Lardizabal Marcos
Age: 61
Occupation: Telemetry charge nurse
Place of Work: CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Whenever she traveled to her hometown of Tagudin in the Philippines, Celia Lardizabal Marcos showered family with gifts and delighted in planning weekend outings for everyone, said her eldest son, Donald.
And when she returned home to California, she brought presents for her sons. “She always thought of how her family could be happy,” he said.
Trained as a nurse in her home country, Marcos immigrated to the United States in 2001 and settled in Los Angeles. Three years later, she became a telemetry charge nurse, a specialist who tracks patients’ vital signs using high-tech equipment.
On April 3, she was one of three nurses who responded after a suspected COVID patient went into cardiac arrest. Wearing a surgical mask, she intubated the patient. Three days later, she had a headache, body aches and difficulty breathing.
Her symptoms worsened, and she was admitted April 15 to the hospital where she had worked for 16 years. That was the last time Donald spoke to his mother. Two days later, she went into cardiac arrest and died that night.
Her sons plan to honor her wishes to be cremated and buried in Tagudin, alongside her parents.
— Christina M. Oriel, Asian Journal | Published May 5, 2020
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‘Hero Among Heroes,’ Doctor Cared For Generations Of Patients
Francis Molinari (right) with his siblings (from left) Janice, Albert and Lisa (Courtesy of Lisa Molinari)
Francis Molinari
Age: 70
Occupation: Physician
Place of Work: Private practice in Belleville, New Jersey; privileges at Clara Maass Medical Center
Date of Death: April 9, 2020
In late March, Dr. Francis “Frankie” Molinari told his sister Lisa he was “down for the count,” with chills, fever and trouble breathing.
“Frankie, you know what you have,” she recalled telling him.
“Yes.”
Two days later, he collapsed at home and was rushed to Clara Maass Medical Center. Colleagues stayed by his side as he succumbed to COVID-19.
“We take solace in the fact that he was cared for by colleagues and friends who deeply loved and respected him,” his sister Janice wrote in a blog. “He died a hero among heroes.”
Molinari, a New Jersey native who was married with an adult daughter, was the oldest of four siblings. His sisters describe him as a positive guy who loved music, fishing and teasing people with tall tales: He went to medical school in Bologna, Italy, and he liked to say he had played pinochle with the pope.
Molinari practiced medicine for over four decades, caring for generations of patients in the same family. His family suspects he contracted the coronavirus at his private practice.
“A friend had once described us as four different legs of the same table,” Janice wrote. “Now I’m stuck on the fact that we are only a three-legged table. Less beautiful, less sturdy. Broken.”
— Laura Ungar, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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5-Foot-Tall ‘Fireball’ Was A Prankster To Her Sons
(Courtesy Josh Banago)
Celia Yap-Banago
Age: 69
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri
Date of Death: April 21, 2020
Celia Yap-Banago was a 5-foot-tall “fireball,” said one co-worker. She had moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in 1970 and worked for nearly 40 years for the HCA Midwest Health system. Her family said she was planning for retirement.
Her son Josh said she showed her love through practical jokes: “You knew she loved you if she was yelling at you or if she was pranking you.”
“She was very outspoken,” said Charlene Carter, a fellow nurse. “But I later learned that’s a really good quality to have, as a nurse, so you can advocate for your patients and advocate for yourself.”
In March, Yap-Banago treated a patient who later tested positive for COVID-19. Carter said Yap-Banago was not given personal protective equipment because she was not working in an area designed for COVID patients. She spent her final days in isolation to protect others.
A spokesperson for HCA Midwest Health said that medical staff received adequate personal protective equipment in line with CDC guidelines.
Josh said she spoke with reverence of her patients and their families. “She was always focused on the family as a whole, and that the family was taken care of, not just the patient in the bed,” he said.
— Alex Smith, KCUR | Published May 5, 2020
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In Ministry And Rescue Missions, ‘He Put His All Into It’
(Courtesy of the Birmingham Family)
Billy Birmingham Sr.
Age: 69
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Kansas City Missouri Fire Department
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Bill Birmingham Jr. fondly remembers the year his father took on a new career. The whole family studied, even acting out scenes to ensure Billy Birmingham Sr., a minister, was ready for his emergency medical technician exam.
“He put his all into it,” the son recalled.
Billy Birmingham passed the test. And from the late 1990s on, he served as an EMT and a minister.
His family rallied again for his doctorate in pastoral theology. During nearly four decades as a minister, he founded two churches.
“He had a heart for other people,” his son said. “Whatever he could do for other people, he would do it.”
As an EMT with the Kansas City Fire Missouri Department, he was exposed to the novel coronavirus. The cough came in March.
“‘I’m just tired.’ That’s what he kept saying,” his son said. His dad went to the hospital twice. The first time he told the staff about his symptoms and underlying health conditions, then they sent him home.
The second time he arrived in an ambulance. Just over two weeks later, his final hours arrived.
Hospital staff set up a video chat so his family could see him one last time.
— Cara Anthony, Kaiser Health News | Published May 1, 2020
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Jovial Man Trained Scores Of Doctors In Obstetrics, Gynecology And Kindness
(Courtesy of Ashley Ulker)
Luis Caldera-Nieves
Age: 63
Occupation: OB-GYN doctor
Place of Work: University of Miami and Jackson health systems in Miami
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
“Somos felices.” That was Dr. Luis Caldera-Nieves’ signature signoff after a cesarean section or patient visit or at the end of a difficult shift. “We’re happy,” he meant, and often, when he was around, it was true.
Caldera-Nieves, a popular OB-GYN, trained scores of doctors and helped bring thousands of babies into the world in his 25 years at the University of Miami and Jackson health systems.
Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, he worked as an Air Force doctor before joining UM, said longtime co-worker Dr. Jaime Santiago. Caldera-Nieves was so devoted to his patients that he often gave them his private phone number — and his wife’s, Santiago said.
Because he was so jovial, he earned the nickname “the Puerto Rican Santa Claus,” Santiago said.
“He was truly loved and admired by everyone who worked with him, and will be remembered for his humor and never-ending positive energy,” said Dr. Jean-Marie Stephan, who trained under Caldera-Nieves.
In a statement, UM and Jackson confirmed Caldera-Nieves died from complications of COVID-19 and said they “grieve the loss of our esteemed and beloved colleague.” He is survived by his wife and six adult children.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 1, 2020
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A Cluster Of Illness Robs Community Of Another Fearless EMT
(Courtesy of Vito Cicchetti)
Kevin Leiva
Age: 24
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Saint Clare’s Health in Passaic, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
When Kevin Leiva died of COVID-19 in early April, it was a second crushing loss to his close-knit team of EMT workers. Their colleague, Israel Tolentino Jr., had died one week before.
“People were scared that everyone was going to die from it,” said Vito Cicchetti, a director at Saint Clare’s Health, where the men worked. “After Izzy died, we all started getting scared for Kevin.”
Leiva, according to an obituary, “was always worried about his crew.” He was “very proud” of his work and was recalled to have said “becoming an EMT was an act of God.”
He met his wife, Marina, online while they were in high school. She moved a thousand miles to build a life with him. He loved spending time at their home, playing guitar and tending to his tegu lizards, AJ and Blue.
As COVID-19 ramped up, the station’s three ambulances each handled up to 15 dispatches a shift, roughly double the usual number. In a busy 12-hour shift, EMTs often responded to calls continuously, stopping only to decontaminate themselves and the truck.
Leiva “always had a joke” that helped to defuse stressful situations and bring his co-workers together, Cicchetti said.
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 1, 2020
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Firefighting And ‘Helping People’ Were In His Blood
(Courtesy of the Terre Haute Fire Department)
John Schoffstall
Age: 41
Occupation: Paramedic and firefighter
Place of Work: Terre Haute Fire Department in Terre Haute, Indiana
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
John Schoffstall grew up around firehouses, and it was at his own firehouse in Terre Haute, Indiana, that he was exposed to the coronavirus.
A paramedic and firefighter with the Terre Haute Fire Department for almost 12 years, Schoffstall died April 12 at age 41. Deputy Chief Glen Hall said investigations by the county health department and his own department “determined John contracted the virus from another firefighter in the firehouse.” Four other firefighters “had symptoms but none progressed.”
“We respond every day to potential COVID patients,” Hall said.
Jennifer Schoffstall, his wife of 18 years, said her husband went to the hospital March 28.
“His breathing was so bad in the ER, they just decided to keep him,” she said. “He regressed from there.”
Hall said Schoffstall’s “biggest hobby was his family,” with a son, 17, and a daughter, 13.
Schoffstall’s father had been a volunteer firefighter, Jennifer said, and her husband signed up for the New Goshen Volunteer Fire Department when he turned 18.
“He loved the fire service and everything about it,” she said. “He loved helping people.”
— Sharon Jayson | Published May 1, 2020
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Boston Nurse, A Former Bus Driver, Was A Champion For Education
(Courtesy of Teadris Pope)
Rose Taldon
Age: 63
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: New England Baptist Hospital in Boston
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
Rose Taldon was just 5 feet tall. But when she bellowed out the window, her kids ran right home.
“She didn’t take any crap,” said her daughter, Teadris Pope.
Taldon raised three children with her husband on the street where she grew up in Dorchester, Boston. She was respected as a strong black woman, earning a nursing degree while working in public transit for 23 years. Described as stern, she still was quick to tickle her eight grandkids.
Taldon was generous: Even as she lay in a hospital in April, exhausted from the coronavirus, she arranged to pay bills for an out-of-work friend, her daughter said.
It’s unclear whether Taldon caught the virus at her hospital, designated for non-COVID patients. Hospital officials said three patients and 22 staff have tested positive.
Once her mother was hospitalized, Pope couldn’t visit. On Easter morning, a doctor called at 2 a.m., offering to put Taldon on a video call.
“I just talked until I had no words,” Pope said. “I was just telling her, ‘We’re so proud of you. You worked so hard raising us. … You’ve gone through a hell of a fight.'”
An hour later, her mother was gone.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 1, 2020
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Unflappable First Responder With An Ever-Ready Smile
(Courtesy of Vito Cicchetti)
Israel Tolentino Jr.
Age: 33
Occupation: Emergency medical technician and firefighter
Place of Work: Saint Clare’s Health and the Passaic Fire Department, both in Passaic, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
When Israel Tolentino Jr. arrived for his EMT shift one morning in March, he seemed fine. Then he got a headache. Then a fever came on, and he was sent home, said Vito Cicchetti, a director at Saint Clare’s Health.
Izzy, as he was called, was an EMT who fulfilled his dream to become a firefighter. In 2018, the former Marine took a job with the Passaic Fire Department but kept up shifts at Saint Clare’s.
He was husband to Maria Vazquez, whom he’d met at church, according to nj.com. They had two young children.
The work pace could be brutal during the pandemic. In a 12-hour shift, Tolentino and his partner were dispatched to one emergency after another, each typically lasting under an hour but requiring nearly that long to decontaminate their gear and truck.
Izzy died in hospital care. The coronavirus tore through his EMT team. Most eventually recovered. But his friend and co-worker Kevin Leiva also died.
Izzy’s unflappable, cheerful presence is missed, Cicchetti said: “No matter how mad you were, he’d come up with a smile and you’d be chuckling to yourself.”
Cicchetti hasn’t replaced either man: “I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.”
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 1, 2020
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Their Decade-Long Dream Marriage Ends In Nightmare
(Courtesy of the Detroit Fire Department)
Capt. Franklin Williams
Age: 57
Occupation: Firefighter and medical first responder
Place of Work: Detroit Fire Department in Detroit
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Capt. Franklin Williams stood at the altar on his wedding day and pretended to hunt for the ring. He patted his chest, then his pants legs and looked up at his soon-to-be wife with a million-dollar smile.
He was always clowning and “so silly,” said Shanita Williams, his wife, recalling how he wanted to make her laugh. Williams, 57, died from complications of the novel coronavirus on April 8 — one month before the couple’s 10-year wedding anniversary.
Williams had been on an emergency call with a verified COVID patient before falling ill, according to Detroit Fire Department Chief Robert Distelrath. He died in the line of duty.
Crews are equipped with personal protective equipment including a gown, N95 mask and gloves. But it’s easy for a mask to slip ― “when you’re giving [chest] compressions, your mask isn’t staying in place all the time,” said Thomas Gehart, president of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association.
When Williams fell sick on March 24, he moved to the guest bedroom and never returned to work.
“I’m thankful and thank God for having him in my life,” Shanita said, adding that she keeps hoping this is a nightmare and she’ll soon wake up.
— Sarah Jane Tribble, Kaiser Health News | Published May 1, 2020
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A 9/11 First Responder, He Answered The Call During The Pandemic
(Courtesy of the Valley Stream Fire Department)
Mike Field
Age: 59
Occupation: Volunteer emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Village of Valley Stream on New York’s Long Island
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Mike Field had a strong sense of civic duty. An emergency medical technician, he was a first responder with the New York Fire Department (FDNY) on 9/11. He was also a member of his community’s all-volunteer fire department since 1987.
After he retired from FDNY in 2002, he took a job making and posting street signs with his local public works department. He continued to volunteer with Valley Stream’s fire department and mentoring the junior fire department. When he wasn’t responding to emergencies or training future emergency technicians, he led a Boy Scout troop and volunteered for animal causes.
“Here’s somebody who cares about the community and cares about its people,” said Valley Stream’s mayor, Ed Fare, who had known Mike since the seventh grade.
Stacey Field, Mike’s wife, said he found his calling early, after his own father experienced a heart attack. “When the fire department EMTs came and helped his dad, he decided that’s what he wanted to do,” she said.
Their three sons ― Steven, 26; Richie, 22; and Jason, 19 — have followed in their father’s footsteps. Steven and Richie are EMTs in New York; Jason plans on training to become one as well. All three volunteer at the same fire station their father did.
In late March, Mike and fellow volunteer responders were called to an emergency involving a patient showing symptoms of COVID-19. Field died on April 8.
— Sharon Jayson | Published April 29, 2020
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Nurse Fought For His Life In Same ICU Where He Cared For Patients
(Courtesy of Romielyn Guillermo)
Ali Dennis Guillermo
Age: 44
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, New York
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
In 2004, Ali Dennis Guillermo, his wife, Romielyn, and their daughter came to New York from the Philippines to find a better life.
Everything fell into place. The former nursing instructor landed a job at Long Island Community Hospital, often working in intensive care or the emergency room. He enjoyed the intensity of ER work, his wife said. As years passed, the couple had two sons and settled into a close-knit Filipino community.
As COVID-19 emerged, Guillermo was posted to the step-down floor, working with patients transitioning out of intensive care.
A lot of the nurses on his floor had gotten sick with the virus, his wife said, and “everybody was scared.”
And then, Guillermo felt achy, with a fever that soared to 102. He went to the hospital and X-rays were taken, but he was sent home. Within days, his blood oxygen level plummeted.
“My nails are turning blue,” he told his wife. “You should take me to the ER.”
He was admitted that night in late March, and they never spoke again.
In the ICU unit where he’d often worked, Guillermo was intubated and treated. Nearly two weeks later, he died.
— Michelle Andrews | Published April 29, 2020
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An Eager Student, He Aimed To Become A Physician Assistant
(Courtesy of Catrisha House-Phelps)
James House
Age: 40
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Omni Continuing Care nursing home in Detroit
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
James House had a voracious appetite for learning about and a fascination with the human body.
His sister, Catrisha House-Phelps, traces it back to childhood visits to a dialysis center where their father received treatments. “That was what tugged at his heart,” she said. “He just always wanted to know ‘why.’”
House-Phelps said her brother adored his five children, treasured his anatomy and physiology books and got a kick out of the residents he cared for at Omni Continuing Care. “He thought they were family; he just said they were funny people,” she said. He had hoped to go back to school to become a physician assistant.
House came down with what he thought was the flu in mid-March. His sister said he tried to get tested for COVID-19 but was turned away because he was not showing textbook symptoms and had no underlying health issues. On March 31, after resting at home for over a week, House returned to work. Hours later, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
He texted his sister with updates on his condition. “I’m about to be intubated now,” he wrote. It was the last message he sent her.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 29, 2020
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She Loved A Parade And Catering To Patients
Pamela Hughes and her daughter, Brie
(Courtesy of Angie McAllister)
Pamela Hughes
Age: 50
Occupation: Nursing home medication aide
Place of Work: Signature HealthCARE at Summit Manor in Columbia, Kentucky
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Pamela Hughes lived her entire life in rural Columbia, Kentucky, but longed for wide, sandy beaches. For vacation, Hughes and her daughter, Brie, 26, eagerly drove 14 hours to Daytona Beach, Florida, or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
After high school, Hughes worked at Summit Manor, a nursing home in Columbia, for 32 years. She knew which residents preferred chocolate milk or applesauce with their medication; she remembered their favorite outfits and colors. Hughes’ shy demeanor vanished each December when she and co-worker Angie McAllister built a float for the town’s Christmas parade competition.
“We built 10 floats over 10 years,” McAllister said. “We got second place every year.”
Even after several residents tested positive for the coronavirus, Hughes dismissed her worsening cough as allergies or bronchitis. The nursing home was short on help and she wanted to serve her patients, Brie said.
Days later, the public health department suggested her mother get tested. She tested positive, and her health worsened — food tasted bitter, her fever soared, her hearing dulled. On April 10, Hughes was taken by ambulance to a hospital, then by helicopter to Jewish Hospital in Louisville. Barred from visiting, Brie said goodbye over FaceTime.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published April 29, 2020
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The Family Matriarch And ‘We’re Failing Miserably Without Her’
(Courtesy of Ginu John)
Aleyamma John
Age: 65
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Queens Hospital Center in New York City
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
Aleyamma John’s family wanted her to retire. Her husband, Johnny, an MTA transit worker, had stopped working a few years earlier. He and their son Ginu urged her to follow suit. “We told her, ‘I’m sure Dad wants to see the world with you — you need to give him that opportunity,’” Ginu said.
She demurred. “I think she found fulfillment in being able to serve,” Ginu said. “She was able to hold people’s hands, you know, even when they were deteriorating and be there for them.” She began her career as a nurse in India 45 years ago; she and her husband immigrated to the United Arab Emirates, where their two sons were born, and moved to New York in 2002.
Ginu said his mother, a devout Christian, found joy in tending to her vegetable garden and doting on her two grandchildren. She cooked dishes from her native India and filled the Long Island home she shared with Johnny, Ginu and Ginu’s family with flowers.
In March, as Queens Hospital Center began to swell with COVID-19 patients, John sent her family a photo of herself and colleagues wearing surgical hats and masks but not enough personal protective equipment. Days later, she developed a fever and tested positive for the virus. Johnny, Ginu and Ginu’s wife, Elsa, a nurse practitioner, also became ill.
When John’s breathing became labored, her family made the difficult decision to call 911. It would be the last time they saw her. “We’re 17 days in, and I feel like we’re failing miserably without her,” Ginu said.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 29, 2020
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‘A Kind Man’ Looking Forward To Retirement
(Courtesy of Jesse Soto)
Thomas Soto
Age: 59
Occupation: Radiology clerk
Place of Work: Woodhull Medical Center, a public hospital in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
After more than 30 years at one of New York City’s busy public hospitals, Thomas Soto loved his job but was looking forward to retiring, said his son, Jesse Soto, who lived with him.
At Soto’s busy station near the emergency room, he greeted patients and took down their information.
“Everybody saw him before their X-rays,” Soto, 29, said. “He smiled all day, made jokes. He was a kind man.”
As COVID patients began to overwhelm Woodhull and other emergency rooms across the city, Soto said that at first his father didn’t have any protective gear.
He eventually got a mask. But he still grew very sick, developing a high fever, body aches and a wracking cough. After a week, Soto said, “he couldn’t take it anymore.”
He went to Woodhull, where he was admitted. When they tried to put him on a ventilator two days later, he died. The hospital did not respond to requests for comment.
— Michelle Andrews | Published April 29, 2020
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‘Blooming’ In Her First Job On Path To Becoming A Nurse
(Courtesy of the Viveros family via GoFundMe)
Valeria Viveros
Age: 20
Occupation: Nursing assistant
Place of Work: Extended Care Hospital of Riverside, California
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
At 20 years old, Valeria Viveros was “barely blooming,” developing the skills and ambition to pursue a nursing career, said Gustavo Urrea, her uncle. Working at Extended Care Hospital of Riverside was her first job.
Viveros, born in California to Mexican immigrants, grew attached to her patients at the nursing home, bringing them homemade ceviche, Urrea said. About a month ago, as he watched her cook, play and joke with her grandmother, he noticed how much her social skills had grown.
When she would say “Hi, Tío,” in her playful, sweet, high-pitched voice, “it was like the best therapy you could have,” Urrea recalled. Viveros, who lived with her parents and two siblings, was enrolled in classes at a community college.
Viveros felt sick on March 30, went to a nearby hospital and was sent home with Tylenol, Urrea said. By April 4, she couldn’t get out of bed on her own. She left in an ambulance and never came back.
“We’re all destroyed,” he said. “I can’t even believe it.”
On April 5, county health officials reported a coronavirus outbreak had sickened 30 patients and some staff at her nursing home. Trent Evans, general counsel for Extended Care, said staffers are heartbroken by her death.
Viveros was “head over heels in love with the residents that she served,” he said. “She was always there for them.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 29, 2020
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Surgical Technician Made Friends Everywhere She Went
(Courtesy of Jorge Casarez)
Monica Echeverri Casarez
Age: 49
Occupation: Surgical technician
Place of Work: Detroit Medical Center Harper University Hospital in Detroit
Date of Death: April 11, 2020
Monica Echeverri Casarez was in constant motion, said her husband, Jorge Casarez. The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she worked as a Spanish-English interpreter in clinical settings. She was the kind of person whose arrival at a mom and pop restaurant would elicit hugs from the owners. She also co-founded Southwest Detroit Restaurant Week, a nonprofit that supports local businesses.
Twice a month, she scrubbed in as a surgical technician at Harper University Hospital. “She liked discovering the beauty of how the body works and how science is clear and orderly,” Casarez said. She was organized and intuitive, qualities that are assets in the operating room. On March 21, she posted a photo of herself in protective gear with the caption: “I’d be lying if I said I wan’t at least a bit nervous to be there now.” Since many elective surgeries had been canceled, Echeverri Casarez was tasked with taking the temperatures of people who walked into the hospital and making sure their hands were sterilized.
Soon after, Echeverri Casarez and Casarez began feeling ill. Quarantined together, Echeverri Casarez tried to make the best of the situation. She baked her husband a cake — chocolate with white frosting. She died a few days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 24, 2020
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A Whip-Smart Neurologist Endlessly Fascinated With The Brain
(Courtesy of Jennifer Sclar)
Gary Sclar
Age: 66
Occupation: Neurologist
Place of Work: Mount Sinai Queens in New York City
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
Gary Sclar was a whip-smart neurologist who loved comic books, “Game of Thrones” and “Star Wars,” said his daughter, Jennifer Sclar. He was deeply compassionate with a blunt bedside manner.
“My dad was fascinated with the brain and with science,” Jennifer Sclar said. “His work was his passion, and it’s what made him the happiest, besides my brother and me.” Set to retire in June, he was looking forward to writing about politics and neurology.
Gary Sclar saw patients who were showing COVID-19 symptoms and knew his age and underlying health conditions ― he had diabetes — put him at risk for developing complications from the illness. His daughter pleaded with him to stop going to the hospital.
In early April, he mentioned having lost his sense of smell, and on April 8 he collapsed in his home. He was hospitalized a few days later and agreed to be intubated. “I don’t think he realized, like, that this was the end,” Jennifer Sclar said. “He brought his keys. He brought his wallet.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 24, 2020
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An Exacting But Loving Aunt, She Was A Mentor Until The End
(Courtesy of Jhoanna Mariel Buendia)
Araceli Buendia Ilagan
Age: 63
Occupation: Intensive care unit nurse
Place of Work: Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami
Date of Death: March 27, 2020
For Jhoanna Mariel Buendia, her aunt was a constant ― if distant — presence. Araceli Buendia Ilagan emigrated from their hometown Baguio, in the Philippines, to the U.S. before Buendia was born, but she remained close to her family and communicated with them nearly every day.
“She was one of the smartest people I ever knew,” Buendia, 27, said. Buendia Ilagan, who at one point looked into adopting her niece so she could join her and her husband the United States, encouraged Buendia to become a nurse, and talked her through grueling coursework in anatomy and physiology. Buendia is now a nurse in London.
Buendia Ilagan was also demanding. “Whenever she visited the Philippines, she wanted everything to be organized and squeaky-clean,” Buendia said.
The last time the two spoke, in late March, Buendia Ilagan didn’t mention anything about feeling ill. Instead, the two commiserated over their experiences of treating patients with COVID-19; as always, her aunt offered her advice on staying safe while giving the best possible care. She died four days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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A Beloved Geriatric Psychiatrist And Church Musician Remembered For His Cooking Skills
(Courtesy of Nida Gonzales)
Leo Dela Cruz
Age: 57
Occupation: Geriatric psychiatrist
Place of Work: Christ Hospital and CarePoint Health in Jersey City, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Dr. Leo Dela Cruz was nervous about going to work in the weeks before he died, his friends said. Like many in the region, Christ Hospital had an influx of COVID-19 patients and faced a shortage of ventilators and masks.
Dela Cruz was a geriatric psychiatrist and didn’t work in coronavirus wards. But he continued to see patients in person. In early April, Dela Cruz, who lived alone, complained only of migraines, his friends said. Within a week, his condition worsened, and he was put on a ventilator at a nearby hospital. He died soon after.
Friends said he may have been exposed at the hospital. (In a statement, hospital representatives said he didn’t treat COVID-19 patients.)
Dela Cruz, the oldest of 10 siblings, came from a family of health care professionals. His friends and family — from Cebu, Philippines, to Teaneck, New Jersey — remembered his jovial personality on Facebook. He won “best doctor of the year” awards, played tennis and cooked traditional Cebu dishes.
Nida Gonzales, a colleague, said he always supported people, whether funding a student’s education or running a church mental health program. “I feel like I lost a brother,” she said.
— Ankita Rao, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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Alabama Nurse Remembered As Selfless But Sassy
(Courtesy of Amanda Williams)
Rose Harrison
Age: 60
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Marion Regional Nursing Home in Hamilton, Alabama
Date of Death: April 6, 2020
Rose Harrison, 60, lived to serve others ― her husband, three daughters, grandchildren and the residents of the nursing home where she worked. Though the Alabama nurse was selfless, she also had a sassy edge to her personality and a penchant for road rage, her daughter, Amanda Williams said.
“Her personality was so funny, you automatically loved her,” Williams said. “She was so outspoken. If she didn’t agree with you, she’d tell you in a respectful way.”
Harrison was not wearing a mask when she cared for a patient who later tested positive for COVID-19 at Marion Regional Nursing Home in Hamilton, Alabama, her daughter said. She later developed a cough, fatigue and a low-grade fever, but kept reporting to duty all week. Officials from the nursing home did not return calls for comment.
On April 3, Williams drove her mother to a hospital. The following evening, Harrison discussed the option of going on a ventilator with loved ones on a video call, agreeing it was the best course. Williams believed that her mother fully expected to recover. She died April 6.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 22, 2020
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Connecticut Social Worker Had Angelic Singing Voice And A Zest For Life
(Courtesy of the Hunt family)
Curtis Hunt
Age: 57
Occupation: Social worker
Places of Work: Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center and New Reach, both in New Haven, Connecticut
Date of Death: March 23, 2020
At a shelter for adults recovering from addiction, residents looked forward to the days when Marion “Curtis” Hunt would take the stage, emceeing talent shows and belting out Broadway and gospel tunes.
It wasn’t part of his job description as a social worker. It was just one of the ways he went “above and beyond,” said his supervisor at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, Daena Murphy. “He had a beautiful voice,” she said. “He was just a wonderful person — funny, engaging, always a huge smile on his face.”
Hunt, the youngest of four brothers, earned his master’s in social work from Fordham University at 52, and was baptized at his brother’s Pentecostal church at 54. He was a devoted uncle who doted on his dog and cat, Mya and Milo.
It’s unclear how Hunt got infected, but one patient he worked with had tested positive for COVID-19, as did two co-workers, according to Dr. Ece Tek, another supervisor at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center. Hunt died on March 23, one week after developing flu-like symptoms, said his brother John Mann Jr.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 22, 2020
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To The End, King-Smith Was Driven By A Desire To Help Others
(Courtesy of Hassana Salaam-Rivers)
Kim King-Smith
Age: 53
Occupation: Electrocardiogram technician
Place of Work: University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
Kim King-Smith was a natural caregiver. An only child, she grew up close to her extended family, including her cousins Hassana Salaam-Rivers and Sharonda Salaam. After Salaam developed multiple sclerosis, King-Smith visited her every day.
“She’d bring her sweets that she wasn’t supposed to have and share them with her,” Salaam-Rivers said. King-Smith’s desire to care for others was the reason she became an electrocardiogram technician, her cousin added. “If a friend of a friend or family member went to the hospital, she would always go and visit them as soon as her shift was over,” she said.
In March, King-Smith cared for a patient she said had symptoms of COVID-19; she soon fell ill herself and tested positive for the virus. It seemed like a mild case at first, and she stayed in touch with family via FaceTime while trying to isolate from her husband, Lenny.
On March 29, Salaam-Rivers checked in on her cousin and noticed she was struggling to breathe. She urged her to call an ambulance. After King-Smith was hospitalized, she exchanged text messages with her mother and cousin. As the day progressed, her messages carried increasingly grave news, Salaam-Rivers said. Then she stopped responding.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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On The Eve Of Retirement, VA Nurse Succumbs To COVID-19
(Courtesy of Mark Accad)
Debbie Accad
Age: 72
Occupation: Clinical nursing coordinator
Place of Work: Detroit VA Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Nurse Divina “Debbie” Accad had cared for veterans for over 25 years and was set to retire in April. But after contracting the novel coronavirus, she spent her final 11 days on a ventilator — and didn’t survive past March.
She joined a growing list of health care professionals working on the front lines of the pandemic who have died from COVID-19.
Accad, 72, a clinical nursing coordinator at the Detroit VA Medical Center, dedicated her life to nursing, according to her son Mark Accad.
“She died doing what she loved most,” he said. “That was caring for people.”
Read more here.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 15, 2020
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California Nurse Thrived In ER and ICU, But Couldn’t Survive COVID-19
Jeff Baumbach and his wife, Karen
(Courtesy of the Baumbach family)
Jeff Baumbach
Age: 57
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, California
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
Jeff Baumbach, 57, was a seasoned nurse of 28 years when the novel coronavirus began to circulate in California. He’d worked in the ER, the ICU and on a cardiac floor. Hepatitis and tuberculosis had been around over the years but never posed a major concern. He’d cared for patients who had tuberculosis.
Jeff and his wife, Karen Baumbach, also a nurse, initially didn’t consider it significantly riskier than challenges they’d faced for years.
“He’d worked in the ICU. He was exposed to so many things, and we never got anything,” she said. “This was just ramping up.”
One day during work, Jeff sent a sarcastic text to his wife: “I love wearing a mask every day.”
Within weeks, he would wage a difficult and steady fight against the virus that ended with a sudden collapse.
Read more here.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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Nurse’s Faith Led Her To Care For Prisoners At A New Jersey Jail
(Courtesy of Denise Rendor)
Daisy Doronila
Age: 60
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
Daisy Doronila had a different perspective than most who worked at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, a New Jersey lockup 11 miles from Manhattan. It was a place where the veteran nurse could put her Catholic faith into action, showing kindness to marginalized people.
“There would be people there for the most heinous crimes,” said her daughter, Denise Rendor, 28, “but they would just melt towards my mother because she really was there to give them care with no judgment.”
Doronila, 60, died April 5, two weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The jail has been hit hard by the virus, with 27 inmates and 68 staff members having tested positive. Among those, another nurse, a correctional officer and a clerk also died, according to Ron Edwards, Hudson County’s director of corrections.
Doronila fell ill before the scope of the jail infections were known. She was picking up extra shifts in the weeks before, her daughter said, and planning on a trip to Israel soon with friends from church.
That plan began to fall apart March 14, when someone at the jail noticed her coughing and asked her to go home and visit a doctor.
Read more here.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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An Army Veteran, Hospital Custodian ‘Loved Helping People’
(Courtesy of Michelle Wilcox)
Alvin Simmons
Age: 54
Occupation: Environmental service assistant
Place of Work: Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, New York
Death: March 17, 2020
Alvin Simmons started working as a custodian at Rochester General Hospital, in New York state, weeks before he fell ill. “He loved helping people and he figured the best place to do that would be in a hospital,” his sister, Michelle Wilcox said.
An Army veteran who had served in the first Gulf War, Simmons loved karaoke and doted on his three grandchildren, Wilcox said. “He was a dedicated, hardworking individual who had just changed his life around” since a prison stint, she said.
According to Wilcox, Simmons began developing symptoms shortly after cleaning the room of a woman he believed was infected with the novel coronavirus. “Other hospital employees did not want to clean the room because they said they weren’t properly trained” to clean the room of someone potentially infected, she said. “They got my brother from a different floor, because he had just started there,” she said. (In an email, a hospital spokesperson said they had “no evidence to suggest that Mr. Simmons was at a heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19 by virtue of his training or employment duties at RGH.”)
On March 11, he visited the emergency room at Rochester General, where he was tested for COVID-19, Wilcox said. Over the next few days, as he rested at his girlfriend’s home, his breathing became more labored and he began to cough up blood. He was rushed to the hospital on March 13, where he was later declared brain-dead. Subsequently, he received a COVID-19 diagnosis. Simmons died on March 17.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 15, 2020
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Nurse At Nevada VA Dies After Caring For Infected Colleague
(Courtesy of Bob Thompson)
Vianna Thompson
Age: 52
Occupation: Nurse
Places of Work: VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System and Northern Nevada Medical Center in Reno, Nevada
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
Nurse Vianna Thompson, 52, spent two night shifts caring for a fellow Veterans Affairs health care worker who was dying from COVID-19.
Two weeks later, she too was lying in a hospital intensive care unit, with a co-worker holding her hand as she died.
Thompson and the man she treated were among three VA health care workers in Reno, Nevada, to die in two weeks from complications of the novel coronavirus.
“It’s pretty devastating. It’s surreal. Reno’s not that big of a city,” said Robyn Underhill, a night nurse who worked with Thompson in the ER at Reno’s VA hospital the past two years.
Thompson, who dreamed of teaching nursing one day, died April 7, joining a growing list of health care professionals killed in the pandemic.
Read more here.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 15, 2020
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Dr. J. Ronald Verrier Was Busy Saving Lives Before The Pandemic
(Courtesy of Christina Pardo)
J. Ronald Verrier
Age: 59
Occupation: Surgeon
Place of Work: St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, New York
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Dr. J. Ronald Verrier, a surgeon at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, spent the final weeks of his audacious, unfinished life tending to a torrent of patients inflicted with COVID-19. He died April 8 at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, New York, at age 59, after falling ill from the novel coronavirus.
Verrier led the charge even as the financially strapped St. Barnabas Hospital struggled to find masks and gowns to protect its workers — many nurses continue to make cloth masks — and makeshift morgues in the parking lot held patients who had died.
“He did a good work,” said Jeannine Sherwood, a nurse manager at St. Barnabas Hospital who worked closely with Verrier.
“He can rest.”
Read more here.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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America’s First ER Doctor To Die In The Heat Of COVID-19 Battle
(Courtesy of Debra Vasalech Lyons)
Frank Gabrin
Age: 60
Occupation: Doctor
Places of Work: St. John’s Episcopal in Queens, New York, and East Orange General in New Jersey
Date of Death: March 26, 2020
At about 5 a.m. on March 19, a New York City ER physician named Frank Gabrin texted a friend about his concerns over the lack of medical supplies at hospitals.
“It’s busy ― everyone wants a COVID test that I do not have to give them,” he wrote in the message to Eddy Soffer. “So they are angry and disappointed.”
Worse, though, was the limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) — the masks and gloves that help keep health care workers from getting sick and spreading the virus to others. Gabrin said he had no choice but to don the same mask for several shifts, against Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
“Don’t have any PPE that has not been used,” he wrote. “No N95 masks ― my own goggles — my own face shield,” he added, referring to the N95 respirators considered among the best lines of defense.
Less than two weeks later, Gabrin became the first ER doctor in the U.S. known to have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Read more here.
— Alastair Gee, The Guardian | Published April 10, 2020
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This story is part of “Lost on the Frontline,” an ongoing project from The Guardian and Kaiser Health News that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who die from COVID-19, and to investigate why so many are victims of the disease. If you have a colleague or loved one we should include, please share their story.
Lost On The Frontline published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/
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Lost On The Frontline
America’s health care workers are dying. In some states, medical staff account for as many as 20% of known coronavirus cases. They tend to patients in hospitals, treating them, serving them food and cleaning their rooms. Others at risk work in nursing homes or are employed as home health aides.
Some of them do not survive the encounter. Many hospitals are overwhelmed and some workers lack protective equipment or suffer from underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to the highly infectious virus.
Many cases are shrouded in secrecy. “Lost on the Frontline” is a collaboration between The Guardian and Kaiser Health News that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who die of COVID-19, and to understand why so many are falling victim to the pandemic.
These are some of the first tragic cases.
Lost On The Frontline
This project aims to document the life of every health care worker in America who dies from COVID-19. If you have a colleague or loved one we should include, please share their story.
Nurse With ‘Heartwarming’ Smile Did Her Best For Her Children
(Courtesy of Anderson Family)
Jenniffer Anderson-Davis
Age: 44
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Meramec Bluffs Life Plan Community in Ballwin, Missouri
Date of Death: April 14, 2020
As a single mother, Jenniffer Anderson-Davis was determined to give her three children everything they needed, so she pursued her nursing degree while delivering pizza to make ends meet.
Read More
Hospital Workers Complain of Minimal Disclosure After COVID Exposures May 13
Widely Used Surgical Masks Are Putting Health Care Workers At Serious Risk Apr 28
OSHA Probing Health Worker Deaths But Urges Inspectors To Spare The Penalties Apr 22
True Toll Of COVID-19 On U.S. Health Care Workers Unknown Apr 15
“She always did the best that she could to give them the best life,” her brother Earl Anderson said.
Most recently, Anderson-Davis worked as an admission and discharge nurse at a senior living community. Her mother, Edna Anderson, said that Anderson-Davis was concerned about residents who returned to the facility after visiting Florida (it has since banned reentry for residents who spent time away).
Anderson-Davis tested positive for COVID-19 on April 9 and died at home five days later. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened a fatality investigation at Meramec Bluffs on April 16.
Lutheran Senior Services, the nonprofit that operates Meramec Bluffs, acknowledged Anderson-Davis’ death but did not respond to specific questions about her case. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Jenniffer’s coworkers remember her as a thorough and well-respected nurse who had a smile that could warm any heart.”
— Cara Anthony, Kaiser Health News | Published May 26, 2020
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A Tireless Nurse, She Loved Her Children And Travel
(Courtesy Stefaney Cicala)
Susan Cicala
Age: 60
Occupation: Registered nurse
Places of Work: Northern State Prison in Newark, New Jersey; Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Susan Cicala worked long hours. A typical workday began at the hospital surgery department at 5:30 a.m. She’d work there until 2 p.m., and an hour later would start her next eight-hour shift at a nearby state prison. She worked weekends, too.
As for sleep? “She must have slept somewhere, but I don’t know,” her son, Steven Cicala, said with a laugh. “She was the hardest worker I ever met.”
Reminiscing on Facebook, colleagues said she talked about her two children constantly. She started wrapping Christmas presents in May. She loved to travel, to Disney World and national parks, and saw vacations as opportunities to learn about the world beyond New Jersey — on a trip to Hawaii, she delved into the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Cicala became sick in late March and died in early April; her family said they presume she contracted the virus at one of her jobs.
“She didn’t go anywhere else,” Steven said.
As of May 21, the New Jersey Department of Corrections had tallied 152 COVID-19 cases at the prison where Cicala worked; 134 of those diagnoses were among staffers. In early May, the union representing Cicala and other workers filed a safety complaint saying precautions have been inadequate and may have led to Cicala’s death. A spokesperson for the prison health care agency that employed Cicala said that it had followed all state and federal guidelines, and that the staff was provided with personal protective equipment.
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 26, 2020
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The Single Mother Dreamed Of Opening A Nursing Home
(Courtesy of Rebecca Gbodi)
Helen Gbodi
Age: 54
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.
Date of Death: April 19, 2020
Helen Gbodi was known for helping elderly neighbors and fellow churchgoers — picking up their medications and groceries and accompanying them on walks. She even dispatched her daughter, Rebecca Gbodi, to shovel snow in neighbors’ driveways.
“Even when she didn’t have a lot, she would always give,” Rebecca said of her mother, who worked long hours to put her children through college and helped pay school fees for other relatives. This year, she embarked on her own dream: crafting plans to open her own nursing home, her daughter said.
Gbodi understood the severity of COVID-19 early on. In March, she called every person in her contacts list, including people she hadn’t talked to in years, to make sure they were aware and taking precautions, her daughter said. Though she did not actively care for patients who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, such patients were being treated on her floor, her daughter said.
Days later, she was fighting for her life. By the time she was hospitalized with COVID-19, she was too weak to lift her arm for a virtual handshake with her daughter on FaceTime.
“At the end of the day, she was willing to put her life in danger for others,” Rebecca said.
— Anna Jean Kaiser, The Guardian | Published May 26, 2020
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Always Upbeat, Patient Transporter Was A Sewing Wiz
(Courtesy of the Ismayl family)
Gabrail ‘Gabe’ Ismayl
Age: 62
Occupation: Patient transport worker
Place of Work: Swedish Hospital in Chicago
Date of Death: May 6, 2020
Caring, upbeat, always first to arrive at a party. Gabrail Ismayl loved an excuse to don a suit and splash on cologne.
That’s how Fidelline Youhanna remembers her uncle. “Everybody loved Gaby,” she said.
After migrating from Syria in the 1980s, Ismayl ran wholesale clothing shops on Chicago’s North Side. He was a wiz with the sewing machine and enjoyed altering dresses, making curtains and doing creative projects for family and friends.
Later, his people skills were an asset as he wheeled patients where they needed to go.
As the pandemic took hold, Ismayl worked despite health conditions that elevated his risk, Youhanna said.
“I think he just liked his job,” she said. “He made a lot of friends there.”
On May 6, Ismayl was self-isolating in the basement of the house he shared with two sisters. He was short of breath, Youhanna said. By evening, he was dead.
Ismayl was employed by management services company Sodexo. The CEO of its health care division in North America, Catherine Tabaka, said in a statement that his passing “is a tragic loss for Sodexo and we mourn an incredible friend and presence.”
— Mary Chris Jaklevic | Published May 26, 2020
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Charismatic Surgical Technician Taught His Kids To Be ‘Faithful To Your Job’
(Courtesy of the Martinez family)
Juan Martinez
Age: 60
Occupation: Surgical technician
Place of Work: University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago
Date of Death: April 27, 2020
It was easy to befriend Juan Martinez.
The surgical technician “could start a conversation up with anyone about anything,” said Jose Moreno, an operating room nurse and co-worker.
He went out of his way to teach others what he learned from 34 years in the field, said his son, Juan Martinez Jr., who followed his dad’s career path at the same hospital.
The military veteran and former church pastor set an example “to be faithful to your job,” his son said.
Due to retire April 30, Martinez anticipated spending time with his grandchildren, traveling and opening Bible education centers in Mexico, his family said.
After feeling tired and feverish, he went to be tested for COVID-19 on April 17. His symptoms were so severe that he was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he worked.
Family members said Martinez did not engage in direct patient care but came in contact with staffers who did.
Juan Jr. said that losing his dad has been like a nightmare, and that he and his siblings are “leaning on the Lord and praying a lot, just like how our father taught us.”
— Mary Chris Jaklevic | Published May 26, 2020
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Memory Care Nurse Set Fear Aside
(Courtesy of Jessica Forbes)
Nina Forbes
Age: 56
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Silverado memory care facility in Alexandria, Virginia
Date of Death: April 25, 2020
Nina Forbes refused to let fear stop her from living.
She was terrified of flying. But a few years ago, Forbes got on a plane for the first time to watch her younger daughter Jennifer play volleyball.
COVID-19 also scared Forbes, and as a nurse at an assisted living facility, she knew the virus posed a serious risk. Still, she continued showing up to work.
Forbes tested COVID-positive just after Easter. Chills, body aches and a fever kept her from attending family dinner that Sunday. By the following weekend, she struggled to breathe and couldn’t walk on her own. An ambulance took her to the hospital.
Her older daughter, Jessica, said her mother didn’t have the necessary protection at work. Forbes sometimes wore trash bags to protect herself, she said.
In a statement, a representative for the facility said it met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for personal protective equipment. Employees sometimes used trash bags as an added layer of protection, worn over a disposable gown, according to the representative.
Forbes appeared to do what she wanted even in her final moments. Jennifer was able to visit her mother in the hospital, and Forbes died shortly after she left, Jessica said. “It was like she waited for her to leave.”
— Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, Kaiser Health News | Published May 19, 2020
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A Family Man Who Loved Disney, Took Risks To Help Others
(Courtesy of AMR Southwest Mississippi)
David Martin
Age: 52
Occupation: Paramedic
Place of Work: AMR Southwest Mississippi, covering Amite and Wilkinson counties
Date of Death: April 22, 2020
On March 22, David Martin changed his Facebook profile picture. Around his smiling face, the frame read, “I can’t stay home … I’m a healthcare worker.”
Outside of work, he was a dedicated family man with two children, known for his love of Disney.
Martin, who covered 1,420 square miles across two rural counties, had cared for people with suspected COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to his death, said Tim Houghton, chief of operations for AMR Southwest Mississippi.
“We do what we do knowing the risks,” Houghton said. But Martin’s death was “a hard hit.”
On March 23, at the end of a shift, Martin told a supervisor he had mild flu symptoms. A month later, he died at a hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
AMR paramedics had N95 masks and protective gear and followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Houghton said. “We have not yet had a shortage.”
In Facebook posts honoring Martin, colleagues described his excitement before trips to Disney World. In his memory, his fiancee, Jeanne Boudreaux, shared a photo of a hot air balloon ride at Disney Springs.
— Michaela Gibson Morris | Published May 19, 2020
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For a 9/11 First Responder, ‘Sitting on the Sidelines Was Never in His DNA’
(Courtesy of Erin Esposito)
Matthew ‘Matty’ Moore
Age: 52
Occupation: Radiologic technologist
Place of Work: Northwell Health’s GoHealth Urgent Care in Eltingville, Staten Island, New York City
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Matthew Moore “would give the shirt off his back to help others,” said his sister, Erin Esposito.
A former firefighter and Staten Island native, “Matty” Moore volunteered as a first responder for weeks after 9/11, “even when everyone else stopped going,” Esposito said.
Moore was known as “a gentle giant” in Prince’s Bay, his brother-in-law Adam Esposito said. He was a devoted churchgoer and a beloved member of “The Beach Boys Firehouse” (as Engine 161/81 was nicknamed).
He even came through as Santa Claus, delivering gifts on Christmas morning to the children of two firefighters who died on 9/11.
Moore became an X-ray technologist, cherishing the ability to help those seeking urgent care. When COVID-19 emerged, he continued showing up to work. “Sitting on the sidelines was never in his DNA,” Erin Esposito said.
At the time, the family was reassured that he was receiving the personal protective equipment he needed. Despite his precautions, when Matty contracted COVID-19, it tore through his lungs, which had been damaged at ground zero.
As Matty lay dying, Esposito sought to reassure her brother. “You’ve done enough for us,” she told him, over the phone. Moments later, Matty’s heart stopped beating.
— Eli Cahan | Published May 19, 2020
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‘Gentle Soul’ Had A Brilliant Mind And A Big Heart
Neftali “Neff” Rios
Age: 37
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: St. Francis Hospital’s intensive care unit in Memphis, Tennessee
Date of Death: April 26, 2020
Hospital colleagues loved working with Neftali “Neff” Rios. He was humble, kind and capable, a “gentle soul” who always strived to learn something new. Not just smart — “I’m talking extremely intelligent,” his brother Josue Rios said. And he simply loved people. Nursing was a perfect fit.
Neff worked at a small hospital in Clarksdale, Mississippi, then earned his master’s in business administration with an emphasis on health care, and moved to St. Francis, hoping to enter management.
In mid-April, he came down with fever, body aches and a terrible cough and tested positive for the coronavirus. Several family members got sick, too. His parents were hospitalized.
On April 26, Neff collapsed at home, unable to catch his breath. His wife, Kristina, called 911, started CPR and waited for the EMTs. When they arrived, he had already died.
The family believes he was exposed at work. A spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment, citing family privacy.
“Neff was never scared” of catching the virus at work, Rios said. “You take an oath to take care of people, no matter what.”
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 19, 2020
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His Warmth And Generosity Brought Diverse Clients To His Pharmacy
(Courtesy of the Titi family)
Saif Titi
Age: 72
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: Noble Pharmacy in Jersey City, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
When the pandemic hit, Saif Titi was working six days a week at his Jersey City pharmacy and had no interest in slowing down. As was his way, he wanted to be helpful.
“He didn’t really run it as a business,” said Titi’s son, Justin. “He wasn’t trying to make profit. He was really just trying to help people.”
Titi was born in Jaffa in the last days of British rule in Palestine and grew up a refugee in the Gaza Strip. After studying in Egypt, Austria and Spain, he immigrated to New Jersey in 1972 and bought Noble Pharmacy a decade later.
The pharmacy became a fixture in the community, known as a place immigrants could go for help and advice, often in their native language. If they couldn’t afford medication, Titi would give it to them for free. “All different types of people from different cultures would come and they would instantly fall in love with him,” Justin said.
Active in the local Arab American community, Titi gave to charity and sent money home regularly. A Facebook tribute included dozens of stories of his generosity and mentorship. “We all lost the sweetest and the most noble man on earth,” wrote one relative.
Titi, a father of three adult children, developed symptoms of COVID-19 in late March. He died in the hospital on April 7. His wife, Rachelle, also became infected and has taken some six weeks to recover. In quarantine, the family has been unable to grieve together.
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 19, 2020
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Social Worker Was A ‘Big Voice’ In His Community
(Courtesy of Donna Welch)
Gerald Welch
Age: 56
Occupation: Social worker and behavioral specialist
Place of Work: Opportunity Behavioral Health in Reading, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: April 15, 2020
Donna Welch had sworn she would “never, ever, ever get married again.” Then Gerald appeared.
They met on MySpace, and she quickly realized that “our spirits connected.” On their first date, at Donna’s house in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gerald proposed — and Donna said yes. “It was like he came down on a bolt of lightning from heaven,” she said.
Gerald’s fiery passion and courage to speak out served him as a boardroom advocate for underperforming students in the school district, and at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where he resurrected a scholarship now named in his honor.
“He had a big voice,” Donna said, “and he was not afraid to use it.” His “Families, Organizations and Communities United in Service” podcast combined Gerald’s lived experience overcoming drugs and his spirituality to support others struggling with addiction.
So even as the state’s COVID cases mounted, Gerald was a dutiful companion for his clients with severe autism — he took them to the supermarket in Lancaster and the laundromat in Lebanon. “Wherever they needed to go, he went,” Donna said. “He cared so much for them, and they loved him dearly.”
“We all did,” she added.
— Eli Cahan | Published May 19, 2020
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Hardworking Immigrant Realized His Dream To Practice Medicine In US
Jesus Manuel Zambrano and his son, Jesus Manuel Jr.
(Courtesy of the Zambrano family)
Jesus Manuel Zambrano
Age: 54
Occupation: Pediatrician
Place of Work: Private practice in Freeport, New York; attending physician at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Jesus Manuel Zambrano studied medicine in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to New York in the 1990s.
He hustled, working in fast food and as a school bus driver between studies, his wife, Sandra, said. He completed his residency in 2010.
In the meantime, they had two children: Jesus Manuel Jr., 22, and Angelyne Ofelia, 18. Jesus Manuel Jr., who uses a wheelchair, never veered far from his father during family outings to restaurants and parks, and Holy Week vacations.
Zambrano’s bond with his son informed his care for his patients. “There was not a single day we met and talked when we didn’t talk about his son,” said Dr. Magda Mendez, a former colleague.
Zambrano spent days in private practice, Sandra said, and in the evenings treated others at the hospital, which saw COVID cases.
In early March, he felt ill. He took the next day off — a rare occurrence, Sandra said. He was taken to the hospital where he worked, where he died after a week and a half of care.
In becoming a physician in the United States, Zambrano had realized his lifelong dream. He wished the same for his family.
“He had a lot of plans for his children, a lot of dreams,” Sandra said. “He took them with him.”
— Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, Kaiser Health News | Published May 15, 2020
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Quick-Witted And Quick To Serve, Firefighter ‘Always Had Your Back’
(Courtesy of the Zerman family)
Robert Zerman
Age: 49
Occupation: Volunteer firefighter
Place of Work: Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 in Robesonia, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
Anyone who met Robert Zerman would see two things: He was devoted to firefighting and emergency medical services, and he had a quick sense of humor.
“He probably went on tens of thousands of calls,” said Anthony Tucci, CEO of the Western Berks Ambulance Association. Tucci, who knew Zerman for over three decades, added, “he always had your back, always knew his stuff.”
Most recently, Zerman was a volunteer assistant fire chief. He responded to an emergency in March in which the patient had COVID-19 symptoms.
“That was before there was really any guidance to wear PPE,” Tucci said.
Soon Zerman got sick, leading the family to suspect that he’d contracted the coronavirus on that call, Tucci said. Zerman tested positive and was hospitalized. He seemed to be improving before taking a bad turn.
Berks County, in eastern Pennsylvania, is among the state’s hardest hit, recording around 3,500 total cases and nearly 200 deaths by mid-May.
Representatives from two dozen first responder agencies lined the streets for Zerman’s funeral procession.
— Maureen O’Hagan | Published May 19, 2020
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Lighthearted Nurse ‘Lit Up the Room’
(Courtesy of Alisa Bowens)
Linda Bonaventura
Age: 45
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Wildwood Healthcare Center in Indianapolis
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Even on bad days, Linda Bonaventura’s lighthearted sense of humor made people feel better, her sister Alisa Bowens said.
Bonaventura dedicated her career to children with special needs and seniors. She did her best to keep her spirits up while working 16-hour days.
“We like to say she was laughter,” Bowens said. “She lit up the room.”
In a statement, Ethan Peak, executive director of Wildwood, called Bonaventura a dedicated nurse who “would do anything for her residents and co-workers.”
As the list of patients and employees with COVID-19 grew longer at Wildwood, Bonaventura refused to live in fear, Bowens said.
Bowens recalled the day her sister confessed she was spraying herself with Lysol to kill the germs on her clothes. She did the same for a co-worker. A Wildwood spokesperson said the nursing home had sufficient personal protective equipment for employees.
The sisters, in one of their last conversations, told each other they would be at peace if death came during the pandemic. A short time later, Bonaventura tested positive for COVID-19. Just a week after coming down with a sore throat and fever, she died.
“She believed in fate,” Bowens said. “We shared that belief. But it was still a shock.”
— Cara Anthony | Published May 15, 2020
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Nurse’s Death Ripples Through The Heart Of An Extended Community
(Courtesy of Courtney Christian)
Sheila Faye Christian
Age: 66
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Care Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia
Date of Death: April 19, 2020
So many people are mourning the death of Sheila Christian, her daughter set up a website to comfort them all.
Christian was a longtime friend of Tina Knowles-Lawson ― the mother of Beyoncé — who posted about the loss on Instagram.
But Christian was also a superstar at the center where she worked for 26 years and among those who knew her. She was the kind of person who brought lunch to a new co-worker and hosted a baby shower for someone without close family, according to her daughter and a memorial board.
At the outset of the COVID crisis, Christian was not given personal protective equipment, her daughter, Courtney Christian, 30. She said her mother received a mask only in late March. A lawyer for the center acknowledged Christian’s death and said federal guidelines were followed but didn’t respond to specific questions about protective gear.
Christian was diagnosed April 2. She endured more than a week of fever, chills and coughing, but seemed to be on the mend. She had been cleared to return to work when she collapsed at home. An outpouring of grief followed, her daughter said.
“She just helped and cared for so many people,” she said. “People I had never met.”
— JoNel Aleccia, Kaiser Health News | Published May 15, 2020
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At Work, Church And Home, Army Veteran Gave It His All
(Courtesy of Shlonda Clark)
Roy Chester Coleman
Age: 64
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana
Date of Death: April 6, 2020
Shlonda Clark calls her father her “favorite superhero.”
It was one of Roy Coleman’s many roles. For the past 11 years, the Army veteran and EMT worked as a housekeeper at the VA hospital in his hometown. He was a church deacon, Sunday school teacher and usher. He also volunteered with special-needs adults.
Roy had a big family, with three children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“He was funny, he was kind, he was giving,” said Mabel Coleman, his wife of 40 years.
“If he didn’t like you, something was wrong with you,” added Clark.
Coleman fell ill March 23. After three trips to the emergency room, he was admitted March 27, with a fever and labored breathing.
“It was the last time I saw him,” Mabel said.
He tested positive for COVID-19 and died at the hospital where he had worked.
His family said he was concerned about the lack of personal protective equipment. The VA medical center said by email it “has and continues to use PPE in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
— Katja Ridderbusch | Published May 15, 2020
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Beloved Doctor Made House Calls, Treated Patients Like Family
(Courtesy of the Giuliano family)
Michael Giuliano
Age: 64
Occupation: Family practice physician
Place of Work: Mountainside Medical Group in Nutley, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 18, 2020
For 39 years, Michael Giuliano practiced old-fashioned family medicine.
He made house calls. He visited his patients in the hospital rather than asking another physician to check in on them. He saw generations of the same family.
“Some patients would show up here at the house,’” said Giuliano’s wife, Marylu, a nurse and the office manager of his solo practice. “Patients would call and he’d say, ‘Come on over, I’ll check you out.’ He always went above and beyond.”
A father of five and a grandfather of four, Giuliano was jovial, with a quirky sense of humor and love of Peanuts characters, especially Charlie Brown. He liked to tell patients, “I’ll fix you up.”
“He treated all of his patients like family,” said Nutley Mayor Joseph Scarpelli.
When COVID-19 hit the U.S., Giuliano ordered N95 masks, his family said, but suppliers were out and sent surgical masks instead. Giuliano wore two at a time.
The week of March 16, Giuliano saw four patients with respiratory symptoms who later tested positive for COVID-19. About two weeks later, he tested positive.
Giuliano continued to see patients from home using telemedicine until he was hospitalized. He died 11 days later.
— Michelle Crouch | Published May 15, 2020
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He Tried To Reassure His Family Until The End
(Courtesy of Sheryl Pabatao)
Alfredo Pabatao
Age: 68
Occupation: Orderly
Place of Work: Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 26, 2020
After 44 years of marriage, Alfredo Pabatao still bought his wife, Susana, flowers.
“They were that type of couple that you rarely see nowadays,” their youngest daughter, Sheryl Pabatao, 30, said. “They set such a high standard for us, their kids — that may be the reason why I’m still single.” She said her father was a patient man who could fix just about anything.
The Pabataos came from Quezon City, just outside Manila, in the Philippines. Alfredo worked at a car dealership, and Sheryl said she and her siblings grew up comfortably.
But the couple wanted more for their five children, and immigrated to the United States in October 2011. “The first year that we were here, was really, really tough,” Sheryl remembered. Her oldest two siblings, already adults by the time the Pabataos’ immigration application cleared, had to stay behind.
Alfredo found a job as an orderly at a hospital in New Jersey, where he worked for nearly two decades. In mid-March, he told his family he had transported a patient with signs of COVID-19; he fell ill days later. In a statement, his employer wrote: “We have policies and procedures in place to protect our team members and patients that are all in accordance with CDC guidelines.”
Sheryl said the family’s last conversation with her father was via FaceTime, with him on his hospital bed. Connected to oxygen, he insisted he wasn’t gravely ill. He made jokes and even demonstrated yoga poses to reassure his wife and children. He died soon after.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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A ‘Selfless’ Mother Who ‘Always Had The Right Words’
(Courtesy of Sheryl Pabatao)
Susana Pabatao
Age: 64
Occupation: Assistant nurse
Place of Work: Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 30, 2020
Susana Pabatao became a nurse in her late 40s, after her family immigrated to the United States.
It eased some of her longing for her own mother, whom she had left behind in the Philippines, her daughter, Sheryl Pabatao said. “It helped her to know that she was helping other people — something that she couldn’t do for my grandmother,” Sheryl said. Susana treated her older patients as if they were her own parents, she added.
Susana was warm, selfless and a constant source of comfort. Sheryl said, “My mom always had the right words.”
Susana’s husband, Alfredo Pabatao, began showing symptoms of COVID-19 in mid-March, and Susana became ill soon after. Sheryl, who described the two as “inseparable,” said: “When my dad got sick, it’s like part of her was not there anymore.”
Alfredo was hospitalized, and Susana spent her last days at home resting and speaking with him on FaceTime. Sheryl, who lived with her parents, said she overheard the two console each other one morning. “My mom was telling my dad, ‘We’ve gone through so many things, we’re going to get through this.”
Alfredo died on March 26. Susana died four days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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Air Force Doctor Had Served In The White House
(Courtesy of the Medical Center of Annandale)
Steven Perez
Age: 68
Occupation: Internal medicine physician
Place of Work: Medical Center of Annandale in Annandale, Virginia
Date of Death: May 7, 2020
When George H.W. Bush announced his 1988 run for the presidency, Steven Perez was one of the doctors who gave him a clean bill of health.
An “Air Force brat” who was born in the United Kingdom, Perez served as a flight surgeon and medical director in the Air Force Medical Service Corps before practicing as a physician in the White House from 1986 to 1990, according to a statement from his family.
“It was the honor of his life,” his son, Benjamin Perez, said.
Perez went into private practice in San Antonio in the early ’90s before opening his own clinic in Northern Virginia. He also taught at the University of Virginia.
According to his family, he made a promise to God and “never refused medical aid to the poor who came to his office, even accepting yams as payment on occasion.”
Perez’s family describes him as a proud grandfather to his three grandchildren (with two more on the way); he loved the University of Southern California Trojan football, the Dallas Cowboys and the Nationals.
“He could make anyone laugh, knew just what to say, and showed profound love for his friends and family,” his family wrote in an obituary. “Every person he met felt like they were the reason he was there.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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She Jumped At Chance To Lend Her Nursing Skills To Her Beloved New York
(Courtesy of the Sell family)
Rosemary Sell
Age: 80
Occupation: Pediatric nurse practitioner
Place of Work: New York City public schools
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Rosemary Sell was a New Yorker through and through. Born in Washington Heights in northern Manhattan, she went to nursing school in Greenwich Village and raised her five boys on the Lower East Side.
In the 1960s, she traveled to Berlin, where she worked as a nurse for the British army and met her future husband, Peter. A lifelong love of travel was born. Gregarious and high-energy by nature, she loved meeting new people. “Wherever she’d go, she’d make a new friend,” said her son, also named Peter.
In later years, Sell spent much of her time in Florida. But she jumped at opportunities to lend her nursing skills to her home city and see her grandchildren and friends.
In February, she was contacted by a firm that places nurses on temporary assignments. Her children were concerned about the encroaching pandemic, especially given her age. “But they need a nurse,” she responded. She traveled to New York to fill in as a nurse at several schools citywide just as the pandemic took hold. The firm, Comprehensive Resources, did not respond to questions on protections for its contractors.
Sell began developing symptoms in mid-March, just before the citywide school closure went into effect. She returned home to Florida, where she died from pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
Before Rosemary died, she had been hatching her next adventure with a friend: to travel to India. She wanted to see the Taj Mahal.
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 15, 2020
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A Hands-On Pharmacist Who Made The Big City Feel Smaller
(Courtesy of Zair Yasin)
Ali Yasin
Age: 67
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: New York City Pharmacy in East Village, Manhattan
Date of Death: May 4, 2020
Ali Yasin was a small-town druggist in a big city filled with impersonal, chain-store pharmacies. He found a way to operate a robust business and still be on a first-name basis with his customers. Over the years, he became their medical consultant, insurance whisperer and friend.
Jen Masser said she stumbled into Yasin’s pharmacy the first time, covered from hands to elbows in hives. “Something is happening, see someone right away,” Yasin advised. “This could be a serious disease.” He turned out to be right, encouraging her to keep seeing doctors until she finally got the proper autoimmune diagnosis.
Born in Pakistan, Yasin moved to the United States in 1979 and worked in various pharmacies before opening his own in 2001. He ran it with the help of his four sons.
In March, after serving customers in hard-hit Manhattan in his typical hands-on manner, Yasin contracted a cough and tested positive for COVID-19. By month’s end, he was in the hospital on a ventilator. He died May 4.
The storefront window of the Yasin family pharmacy is pasted with condolence cards. Son Zair Yasin said the outpouring has been immense: “I didn’t realize until he was gone how many people he touched.”
— Kathleen Horan | Published May 15, 2020
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Nurse Wouldn’t Abandon Her Patients Or Let Family Worry
(Courtesy of the Isaacs family)
Marsha Bantle
Age: 65
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Signature Healthcare in Newburgh, Indiana
Date of Death: May 1, 2020
Marsha Bantle’s family begged her to quit after a resident in the nursing home where she worked was diagnosed with COVID-19.
But Bantle wouldn’t leave. “My patients can’t leave their rooms, they can’t see their families. They really need me right now,’” she told her cousin Carol Isaacs.
Bantle tried to reassure relatives she would limit her exposure, but, on April 17, her temperature spiked. Bantle, who lived alone, holed up at home. She finally called her family when it was clear she needed to be hospitalized.
“That’s Marsha for you,” her cousin John Isaacs said. “She didn’t want us to worry.”
Even while hospitalized, Bantle was selfless, said Shay Gould, the ICU nurse who cared for her. She offered to turn off her medication pump to save the nurse a trip. She asked for other patients’ names to pray for them.
After about a week, Bantle had a stroke, likely brought on by the COVID-19 infection. Within days, she died.
Since April, the nursing home has had 52 positive cases and 13 COVID-19 deaths, including Bantle’s. In a statement, Signature Healthcare said: “The loss of any of our residents or staff, for any reason, is devastating.”
— Michelle Crouch | Published May 12, 2020
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Pharmacist, Feeling Sick, Didn’t Want To Let Patients Down
(Courtesy of the Boynes family)
Sean Boynes
Age: 46
Occupation: Pharmacist
Place of Work: AbsoluteCare Medical Center & Pharmacy in Greenbelt, Maryland
Date of Death: April 2, 2020
When the coronavirus began circulating in the Washington metropolitan region, Sean Boynes went to work.
“Patients need their medicine,” he told his wife, Nicole.
The medical center where he worked bills itself as “a medical home for the sickest of the sick”; many of its patients struggle with chronic illness and poverty. Boynes was the Greenbelt branch’s first pharmacist.
He was an “incredible, loving guy,” said Dr. Gregory Foti, chief of innovative operations at AbsoluteCare.
Boynes was a proud Howard University alumnus and had three degrees — a bachelor’s of science in biology, a master’s in exercise physiology and a doctorate in pharmacy — from the institution.
In early March, Boynes and his wife began feeling sick. Boynes didn’t want to stop working but thought “taking a sick day might be OK,” Nicole said. He also took a break from being a jungle gym to his eight- and 11-year-old girls. Nicole called him “Super Dad.”
Nicole got better, but Sean, who had asthma, saw his breathing deteriorate.
On March 25, Nicole dropped him at the hospital doors. The medical staff confirmed COVID-19. The family never saw him again.
Foti said AbsoluteCare follows CDC recommendations, such as providing staff with face masks, and declined to comment on where Boynes became infected. He said “it was literally impossible to tell” where Boynes had contracted the virus.
To honor him, AbsoluteCare is naming the Greenbelt pharmacy after Boynes.
— Sarah Jane Tribble, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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A Spry EMT, He Made ‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’
(Courtesy of Toni Lorenc)
John Careccia
Age: 74
Occupation: Emergency medical technician and rescue squad chief
Place of Work: Woodbridge Township Ambulance and Rescue Squad in Iselin, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
“That’s not the way you throw a curveball!” John Careccia famously declared to his grandson at a family picnic, according to his daughter, Toni Lorenc. Careccia then threw the ball so wide that it broke a window in her shed.
“That’s how you throw the batter off,” he said, brushing off the mishap.
“Typical Pop-Pop,” Lorenc said. “He had so much confidence in himself.”
Careccia, who worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 30 years, harnessed his self-confidence into a second career. Inspired by two EMTs who saved his son’s life, he became a volunteer EMT in 1993. A consummate educator, he taught CPR, mentored young EMTs and gave catechism classes at his church, Lorenc said.
A spry 74, Careccia responded to 911 calls as chief of his rescue squad, a volunteer position. On a March 25 call, he evaluated a coronavirus patient, said Ed Barrett, squad president. Careccia died of COVID-19 several weeks later.
At his firehouse memorial service, Careccia was summoned over a loudspeaker for his “last call.”
“Having heard no response from Chief Careccia, we know that John has made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Steve Packer, a previous squad president. “His leadership, dedication, compassion and friendship will be greatly missed.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 12, 2020
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Police Officer Turned Nurse Practitioner Was Pursuing A Doctorate
(Courtesy of Dennis Graiani)
Kevin Graiani
Age: 56
Occupation: Family nurse practitioner
Place of Work: Rockland Medical Group in Garnerville, New York
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Kevin Graiani always wanted to work in health care, according to Dennis Graiani, one of his three sons. But his mother told him he needed a pension, so he became a cop.
Kevin, who grew up in the Bronx, served five years on the New York City Housing Authority police force, then 15 on a suburban police force in Spring Valley, New York. He was a “brilliant officer,” said Lt. Jack Bosworth of Spring Valley.
Known for his dry sense of humor, Kevin often rattled off quotes from movies. He played bagpipes for the Rockland County Police Emerald Society, a law enforcement group. When he retired from police work, he began nursing school and became a nurse practitioner in 2018.
Kevin, who worked at a private practice, became sick on March 10 and was later diagnosed with COVID-19, Dennis said.
He loved learning and was set to finish classes this summer for his doctorate of nursing practice, said Lynne Weissman, his professor and program director at Dominican College.
He was an “extremely bright student” with a 3.7 GPA, Weissman said.
She has nominated him for a posthumous degree.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 12, 2020
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School Nurse ‘Was A Mother To Many’
(Courtesy of the Howard family)
Marilyn Howard
Age: 53
Occupation: School nurse
Place of Work: Spring Creek Community School in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Marilyn Howard was known for her generosity and never missing a party. Born in Guyana, she came to the U.S. as a teenager. She helped raise her five brothers, putting her ambitions on hold. “She was a mother to many,” her brother Haslyn said.
In her mid-30s, she turned to her own career goals. She steadily racked up four nursing degrees and recently had begun studying to become a nurse practitioner.
Howard, who lived in Queens, New York, was a school nurse in Brooklyn, where she regularly treated children with chronic illnesses associated with poverty. The week before the pandemic shuttered schools, a fellow nurse had a fever and cough.
Days later, Howard developed the same symptoms. After initially improving, she took a sudden turn for the worse April 4. As her brother drove her to the hospital, her heart stopped. She was declared dead at the hospital.
In tribute, hundreds turned out on Zoom to mark Nine-Night — a days-long wake tradition in the Caribbean — where loved ones shared photos, sang songs and recounted Howard’s effect on their lives.
The pandemic has since ripped through Howard’s extended family, infecting at least a dozen relatives. (One cousin was hospitalized but was released and is recovering.) The family has evolved into a sprawling triage team, monitoring one another’s temperatures, delivering food, charting emergency contacts and nearby hospitals.
Howard’s brothers hope to start a foundation in her name to help aspiring nurses in the U.S. and West Indies. “The best way to honor her spirit and her memory is to bring more nurses into this world,” said her brother Rawle. “We need more Marilyns around.”
— Noa Yachot, The Guardian | Published May 12, 2020
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Post-Retirement, She Tirelessly Rejoined Workforce
(Courtesy Bethany MacDonald)
Nancy MacDonald
Age: 74
Occupation: Receptionist
Place of Work: Orchard View Manor, a nursing home and rehabilitation center in East Providence, Rhode Island
Date of Death: April 25, 2020
Nancy MacDonald tried retiring, but couldn’t make it stick.
For 20 years, she was a middle school teaching assistant and cheerleading coach. At home, she loved painting rocks and watching “Blue Bloods” and “American Idol.” She was married with two adult children.
A lifelong Rhode Islander, Nancy was a people person, her daughter, Bethany MacDonald, said. “She always wanted to help others.”
So, in 2017, it was natural that she’d go back to work, this time at a nursing home.
As Orchard View’s COVID case count escalated, MacDonald worried. Still, she kept coming in — washing and reusing her N95 respirator and having her temperature taken daily.
Tim Brown, an Orchard View spokesperson, said the facility has “extensive infection control,” satisfying government guidelines. He would not say how often employees receive new N95s.
On April 13, MacDonald began coughing. By April 16, she was hospitalized. Her COVID test came back positive. She died 10 days later ― almost a week after her last conversation with her daughter.
“I said, ‘Mama, we love you,’” Bethany said. “The last words she said to me were, ‘I love you, too.’”
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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Despite Danger, Semi-Retired Nurse Kept Caring For ER Patients
(Courtesy of the Miles family)
Sheena Miles
Age: 60
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Scott Regional Hospital in Morton, Mississippi
Date of Death: May 1, 2020
At age 60, Sheena Miles was semi-retired. She usually worked every other weekend, but as COVID-19 emerged in Mississippi, she worked four weekends in a row from mid-March to mid-April.
“I’ve got a duty,” she told her son, Tom Miles.
The economy where she lived is dominated by poultry plants, and the county has been a coronavirus hot spot. Sheena was diligent with protective gear, wearing her mask and doubling up on gloves, Tom said. She stayed home when she wasn’t working.
“Losing Sheena has been a tragic loss, as she had been a part of our hospital for 25 years,” said Heather Davis, a hospital administrator.
Sheena took ill on Easter Sunday. By Thursday, Tommy Miles, her husband of 43 years, drove her to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Two long weeks passed. The family was allowed to say goodbye in person, and on their way into her room, an ICU nurse told them that years ago Sheena had cared for his infant daughter. “‘Your mom saved her life,’” the nurse said.
“That was a little comfort in the storm,” Sheena’s son said.
— Michaela Gibson Morris | Published May 12, 2020
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A Nurse Who Was Living Her Dream Of Working In The U.S.
(Courtesy of Venus Donasco-Delfin)
Anjanette Miller
Age: 38
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Community First Medical Center and Kindred Chicago Lakeshore in Chicago, and Bridgeway Senior Living in Bensenville, Illinois
Date of Death: April 14, 2020
As a child, Anjanette Miller dreamed of becoming a nurse in the U.S. She studied in her native Philippines and worked briefly in Saudi Arabia before fulfilling her wish in 2001.
Miller settled in Chicago and worked as a supervising nurse at three facilities. Her sister, Venus Donasco-Delfin, said Miller got along well with co-workers who shared her work ethic.
“At work, I think, she was strict, but beyond work, she’s a great friend,” Donasco-Delfin said. One of five siblings, she was the “pillar of the family” and supported relatives back home.
“I studied psychology for two years,” Donasco-Delfin said, “but she kept calling me [in the Philippines] and said, ‘No, Venus. … You have to pursue nursing. You will make a difference.’” Donasco-Delfin, now in Canada, became a nurse.
Miller started feeling sick in mid-March and was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early April. She self-isolated, chronicling her illness on YouTube and Facebook. She was hospitalized April 5 and died nine days later.
Miller had hoped to retire to the Philippines and pursue her other passion, filmmaking. Last year she traveled back home to shoot scenes for a project. “The movie she was making is about her life story,” Donasco-Delfin said. “But it’s not finished yet.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published May 12, 2020
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He Took The Time To Put Patients At Ease
(Courtesy of Holy Name Medical Center)
Jesus Villaluz
Age: 75
Occupation: Patient transport worker
Place of Work: Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 3, 2020
After Jesus Villaluz died from COVID-19 complications, colleagues lined the hallway at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, to say goodbye. They’d never done that for anyone else.
“Jesus knew many and meant a lot to all of us, so this gesture felt like the right thing to do,” said hospital spokesperson Nicole Urena.
The hospital, and surrounding Bergen County, have been hit hard by the pandemic. By May 8, Holy Name had treated more than 6,000 COVID patients, 181 of whom died.
Villaluz worked at Holy Name for 27 years. In a Facebook post, the hospital memorialized Villaluz’s generosity: He once won a raffle and shared the winnings with colleagues, an anecdote New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy repeated at a news conference. Family members declined requests for an interview.
Co-worker Hossien Dahdouli said Villaluz’s compassion for patients was exemplary. He never rushed anyone, took the time to chat with patients and was always concerned for their privacy and safety, Dahdouli said.
Years ago, after Dahdouli had a sad day caring for deteriorating ICU patients, he asked Villaluz why he always appeared so happy.
“He said, ‘My worst day at work is better than someone’s best day as a patient.’”
— Anna Almendrala, Kaiser Health News | Published May 12, 2020
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Family Vacations And Reggae Gave Rhythm To His Life
(Courtesy of Nina Batayola)
Don Ryan Batayola
Age: 40
Occupation: Occupational therapist
Place of Work: South Mountain Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Vauxhall, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
April 4 was the day Don and Nina Batayola had planned to leave for London on a 10-day European vacation. Instead, that was the day Don died of COVID-19.
The Springfield, New Jersey, couple loved to travel ― on their own or with their children, Zoie, 10, and Zeth, 8. Disney World. Road trips to Canada. Every year for a week they would savor the beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Don’s love of reggae music prompted a trip to Jamaica to visit Bob Marley’s birthplace.
The Batayolas, both occupational therapists, moved to New Jersey from the Philippines 13 years ago to pursue their careers.
“He loved to help,” Nina said. “He had such the ability to make everybody smile or laugh.”
Don worked with at least one patient and a handful of colleagues who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, and in late March, he developed symptoms. Nina came home from work for lunch on March 31 to find him struggling to breathe. She dialed 911.
He was hospitalized, then she also developed COVID symptoms. Self-isolating at home, Nina talked with Don once a day. She thought he seemed stronger but, on the fourth day, his heart suddenly stopped.
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 8, 2020
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Even On ‘The Saddest Day … She Could Make You Laugh’
(Courtesy of Kim Bruner)
Brittany Bruner-Ringo
Age: 32
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Silverado Beverly Place in Los Angeles
Date of Death: April 20, 2020
When it was Brittany Bruner-Ringo’s turn to pick the family vacation, it was always New Orleans. A city so full of life.
And that is how family described the 32-year-old who left the Oklahoma plains for the excitement of Southern California.
“She always made the best of things,” her mother, Kim Bruner, said. “It could be the saddest day, and she could make you laugh.”
Bruner-Ringo worked at a dementia care center. On March 19, she admitted a patient flown in from New York. She suspected he might have COVID-19, and she was nervous. For fear of frightening the patients, she hadn’t been allowed to wear a mask or gloves, she told her mom by phone that night. (A spokesperson from her employer said, “We have no issues in our environment using appropriate masking and gloves and have followed CDC guidelines throughout this pandemic. We have always had adequate PPE to protect our residents and associates.”)
The following day, the patient grew worse. Bruner-Ringo checked into a hotel to isolate from her roommate. She later tested positive for COVID-19, but when she developed symptoms did not complain ― even to her mom: “She would say, ‘I’m fine. I’m going to beat this. Don’t worry about me.’”
Bruner, a veteran nurse herself, called the hotel front desk for help getting an ambulance to her daughter. She had just hung up with her daughter, who insisted she was fine, while struggling to breathe.
— Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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He And His Wife Shared A Lust For Travel ― And A COVID Diagnosis
(Courtesy of LaKita Bush)
Joshua Bush
Age: 30
Occupation: Nurse and nursing student
Place of Work: Benton House of Aiken in Aiken, South Carolina
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Joshua Bush never let his wife, LaKita, forget that she was five hours late for their first date.
“He never held back telling the truth,” LaKita said, with a doleful laugh.
They met online in 2011, each attracted to the other’s lust for travel. For Joshua’s 30th birthday, they took a cruise to Bermuda. He yearned to go farther afield to Tokyo to revel over anime.
Joshua began his nursing career after high school, eventually ending up at Benton House of Aiken, an assisted living facility. Joshua and LaKita, who works in human resources for a hospital, thought it was allergy-related when they both fell ill in late March. Benton House had no confirmed COVID cases at the time, LaKita said. Even still, the staff was taking precautions.
A doctor prescribed Joshua flu medication, but his symptoms — fever and aches but no cough — worsened, and he was admitted to a hospital in Augusta, Georgia, on April 4.
“That was the last time I saw him alive,” LaKita said.
Over the next few days, both tested positive for the coronavirus. Joshua was sedated in the hospital for two weeks and died on April 17. LaKita recovered at home.
Joshua was earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. May would have marked the couple’s fifth anniversary.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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Her Sudden Death Blindsided Husband And Autistic Son
(Courtesy of Vincent Carmello)
Karen Carmello
Age: 57
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Maryhaven Center of Hope in Port Jefferson Station, New York
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
Karen Carmello had an intimate understanding of working with intellectually disabled patients.
Her 26-year-old son, Steven, has autism. According to her husband, Vincent, the two spoke by phone every day. Steven would recall exactly what he did, and Karen listened intently.
“She could do no wrong in his eyes, ever,” Vincent said. “It’s a very special bond, but it’s one that she earned.”
Sharing the news of her death was shattering: “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do — letting him know.”
When Karen took ill, she discovered that a patient in her ward had tested positive for COVID-19. She was hospitalized March 23. Eight days later, she sent Vincent her last text, at 2:17 a.m., before going to the ICU.
On April 16, hospital staff called and asked whether Vincent would be comfortable signing a do-not-resuscitate order. He hadn’t been able to see his wife, so he didn’t completely grasp how grave her condition was.
“I thought, ‘OK, this must be a formality,'” he said. “I authorized it. And I got a call within two hours that she passed. I was stunned.”
— Shoshana Dubnow, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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His Facebook Posts Left Clues Of A Tragic Timeline
(Courtesy of Felicia Dodson-Hill)
Maurice Dotson
Age: 51
Occupation: Certified nursing assistant
Place of Work: West Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Austin, Texas
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Maurice Dotson’s sister knew something was wrong when her older brother didn’t post his daily Facebook update.
“We knew he was good as long as he posted every morning,” Felicia Dodson-Hill, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, said.
Dotson, 51 ― a certified nursing assistant for 25 years at the West Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Austin — had begun caring for COVID-19 patients.
He sounded positive on Facebook, posting on March 30: “We are going through scary, difficult times, but better days are coming.”
Days later, family in Arkansas couldn’t reach him.
“We had been trying to get in contact with him since April 1st,” his sister said. “On April 3rd, he posted that he had to go to the hospital ― that he was not feeling good.”
Dodson-Hill said the hospital sent him home. Her mother finally reached him on April 6 or 7.
“He told my mom he didn’t have the energy to barely talk,” Dodson-Hill said.
Dawunna Wilson, a cousin from Hazen, Arkansas, said Maurice called an ambulance on April 8. Results from his coronavirus test done at the hospital came back positive the next day. “From there, it was pretty much downhill,” Wilson said.
— Sharon Jayson | Published May 5, 2020
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Community Salutes Nurse Who Loved Baseball
(Courtesy of Leigh Ann Lewis)
Barbara Finch
Age: 63
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse
Place of Work: Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center in Emporia, Virginia
Date of Death: March 29, 2020
When Barbara Finch got excited, she’d scrunch her hands into fists and wave them around like a kid at Christmas. She did it when the Atlanta Braves scored, or while watching her grandkids play baseball, her No. 1 passion outside work.
Finch spent her 37-year nursing career in the emergency department of the hospital in Emporia, Virginia (population of about 5,000), where one of her four children, Leigh Ann Lewis, worked as an EMT.
Lewis knew her mother was well liked: Patients she transported from the hospital would rave that Finch had been sweet and compassionate.
Finch fell ill on March 17 and died in an ICU 12 days later. As a hearse carried her casket to the graveyard, Lewis said, people lined the way at driveway mailboxes, churches and stores, holding signs that read, “We love you,” “Praying for you,” “Hugs.” At her hospital, employees released balloons to the sky.
“It seemed like, in our area, she knew everybody — either she worked with them, or they were a patient of hers at some point,” Lewis said. “It was a very, very large outpour of love and comfort and solidarity.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 8, 2020
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‘He Loved To Work,’ With No Plans To Retire
(Courtesy Giancarlo Pattugalan)
Tomas Pattugalan
Age: 70
Occupation: Internal medicine physician
Place of Work: Private practice in Jamaica, Queens, New York
Date of Death: March 29, 2020
Tomas Pattugalan’s kids had been encouraging him to retire. Even after 45 years of medicine, Pattugalan wasn’t ready to slow down.
“He loved his patients. He loved to work. He loved to help others,” said Giancarlo, his son. “He had an enormous capacity to give of himself.”
A father of three, Pattugalan grew up in the Philippines, immigrating to the U.S. in the 1970s. He was a devout Catholic — attending Mass weekly ― and “karaoke master,” Giancarlo said.
In early March, Pattugalan began testing patients for COVID-19. His medical history, including a family history of strokes and high blood pressure, heightened his own risk. So after tests of two patients returned positive, he got tested himself. On March 24, he learned he had the coronavirus.
“He made a joke and said Prince Charles had tested [positive] too, and he was sharing royalty,” Giancarlo said. “He was making light of it, not trying to get any of us worried.”
Pattugalan had a cough. Then came wheezing. His oxygen levels dropped. He tried hydroxychloroquine, an experimental treatment touted by President Donald Trump that has yielded mixed results. Nothing helped.
On March 29, Pattugalan agreed to seek hospital care. He died that day.
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 8, 2020
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Says Widow Battling Cancer: ‘He Was My Backbone’
(Courtesy of Melissa Castro Santos)
Darrin Santos
Age: 50
Occupation: Transportation supervisor
Place of Work: NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center in White Plains, New York
Date of Death: April 4, 2020
Melissa Castro Santos had just started a new treatment for multiple myeloma when her husband, Darrin, got sick.
For nearly two weeks, he isolated in their bedroom, but after he began gasping for air, he went to the hospital. He died of COVID-19 days later.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Castro Santos said.
As a transportation supervisor, Santos delivered health care workers and equipment between hospitals in the New York metropolitan area. He loved his job, Castro Santos said, and was known to drive doctors wherever and whenever they were needed, through heavy traffic and snowstorms.
Castro Santos, who has been battling cancer since 2012, said her husband doted on their three teenagers, all avid athletes. He arranged his work schedule to attend as many of their games as possible. When he couldn’t make it, she would call him on FaceTime so he could catch glimpses of the action.
Unable to hold a funeral, they arranged for burial five days after Santos died. Friends lined the streets in cars in a show of support as the family drove to and from the cemetery.
Now Castro Santos is confronting cancer without her husband. “He was my backbone. He was the one who took me to chemotherapy and appointments.”
— Anna Jean Kaiser, The Guardian | Published May 8, 2020
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An Animal Lover Who Loved Aerospace, She Died Alone At Home
(Courtesy of Aubree Farmer)
Lisa Ewald
Age: 53
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit
Date of Death: April 1, 2020
Lisa Ewald was a nurse to many living things, human and otherwise.
When her neighbor Alexis Fernandez’s border collie had a stomach blockage, Ewald hooked the dog up to an IV four times a day. “She was this dedicated nurse who nursed my dog back to health,” Fernandez said.
Ewald also loved gardening, aerospace and comic book conventions.
Ewald told Fernandez that a patient she had treated later tested positive for COVID-19, and that she was not wearing a mask at the time. Two days later, after seeing the patient, she got sick. After delays in accessing a test, she learned on March 30 that she was infected with the coronavirus.
A hospital spokesperson acknowledged that staff who treat coronavirus patients have a higher risk of exposure, but said there was “no way to confirm” how a staff member contracted the virus.
On March 31, Ewald didn’t answer when Fernandez texted her. The next day, Fernandez and a hospital nurse went to Ewald’s home to check on her and found her unresponsive on the couch.
“I said, ‘Aren’t you going to go take her pulse or anything?’” Fernandez said. “The nurse just said, ‘She’s gone.’”
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 5, 2020
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An Ardent EMT Who Seemed To Have Nine Lives
(Courtesy of Ben Geiger)
Scott Geiger
Age: 47
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Atlantic Health System in Mountainside and Warren, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Scott Geiger wasn’t always enthusiastic about school, but at age 16 he brought home a tome the size of two phone books. It was a manual for emergency medical technicians, and he devoured it, said his younger brother, Ben Geiger.
Scott was certified as an EMT at 17. He never married or had kids, but did not seem to miss those things.
“He was so focused on being an EMT and helping people in their most vulnerable and desperate moments,” Ben said. “That’s really what made him feel good.”
Scott loved playing pool each week with friends. He was a loyal New York Jets football fan, content to joke about their follies and watch them lose. He was quiet. And he seemed to have nine lives, his brother said, surviving hospitalizations for epilepsy as a kid and blood cancer around age 40.
When the coronavirus began to tear a path through northern New Jersey, he faced his EMT work with resolve. He downplayed his symptoms when he first fell ill in late March, but wound up spending 17 days on a ventilator before he died. The family has had to mourn separately, with the brothers’ father, who lived with Scott, in quarantine, and their mother confined to her room in a nursing home that has COVID-19 cases.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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Caring Nurse ‘Always Put Herself Last’
(Courtesy of Lisa Lococo)
Theresa Lococo
Age: 68
Occupation: Pediatric nurse
Place of Work: Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: March 27, 2020
Theresa Lococo spent most of her life at the hospital, working as a pediatric nurse for almost 48 years.
“There wasn’t a day that goes by she wouldn’t come home and tell me about her patients,” said her daughter, Lisa Lococo. “She had to be forced to take her vacation days.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio publicly saluted her lifelong service to New Yorkers, saying, “She gave her life helping others.”
Theresa had dogs — “sometimes too many,” Lisa said — and lived with her son, Anthony, in the home she owned for decades. She loved cooking and watching cooking shows, reading and following soap operas.
Theresa wasn’t tested for COVID-19. But Kings County Hospital, in Brooklyn, was hit hard by the coronavirus.
Days before dying, she described nausea. Friends recalled a cough. Her supervisor encouraged her to stay home, her daughter said.
Lisa called her mother on March 27, just as Anthony was dialing 911 for help.
“She always put others first,” Lisa said. “She always put herself last.”
— Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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He Was Full Of Life And Planning For The Future
(Courtesy of the Luna family)
Felicisimo “Tom” Luna
Age: 62
Occupation: Emergency room nurse
Place of Work: Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 9, 2020
Tom Luna was a joker, a lively and outgoing man who thrived on the fast-paced and varied action of the emergency room. He also adored his three daughters, something clear to all who knew him.
“Tom was a fantastic emergency nurse. He was well liked and loved by his peers,” Gerard Muench, administrative director of the Trinitas emergency department, said in a statement. “His greatest love was for his wife and daughters, who he was very proud of.”
His oldest daughter, Gabrielle, 25, followed his path to become an ER nurse. When Tom fell ill with the coronavirus, he was admitted to the hospital where she works. At the end of her 12-hour night shifts, she made sure he had breakfast and helped him change his clothes. She propped a family photo next to his bed.
Tom’s wife, Kit, also a nurse, said that when some of his symptoms appeared to let up, they talked about him recovering at home. He was a planner, she said, and was already talking about their next family vacation, maybe to Spain.
— Christina Jewett | Published May 5, 2020
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Air Force Veteran Went ‘Above And Beyond For Patients’
Michael Marceaux and his wife, Dunia, when he graduated from nursing school in 2018 (Courtesy of Drake Marceaux)
Michael Marceaux
Age: 49
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Christus Highland Medical Center and Brentwood Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana
Date of Death: April 16, 2020
After Michael Marceaux retired from the Air Force, he went back to school. In 2018 he launched a new career as an emergency room nurse.
“Everyone who worked with him said he was so happy,” said Drake Marceaux, one of his four sons. “He was willing to go above and beyond for patients.”
As the coronavirus spread throughout Louisiana, Michael developed a cough and fever. Soon afterward, he tested positive for COVID-19.
“He didn’t seem too worried,” Drake said. “He just wanted to make sure not to give it to other people.”
A spokesperson with Christus Health said Michael would be missed for “how he always had a positive attitude, even after a hard shift. His laughter brought joy to others.” The spokesperson declined to answer questions about workplace safety conditions.
Drake said he wanted his father to be remembered for how much he was loved.
His funeral was livestreamed on Facebook. “At one point, there were 2,000 viewers watching his service,” Drake said. “As much as he didn’t want attention, it gravitated toward him.”
— Victoria Knight, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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She Loved To Give Gifts And Never Forgot Her Hometown
(Courtesy of Courtesy of Donald Jay Marcos)
Celia Lardizabal Marcos
Age: 61
Occupation: Telemetry charge nurse
Place of Work: CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles
Date of Death: April 17, 2020
Whenever she traveled to her hometown of Tagudin in the Philippines, Celia Lardizabal Marcos showered family with gifts and delighted in planning weekend outings for everyone, said her eldest son, Donald.
And when she returned home to California, she brought presents for her sons. “She always thought of how her family could be happy,” he said.
Trained as a nurse in her home country, Marcos immigrated to the United States in 2001 and settled in Los Angeles. Three years later, she became a telemetry charge nurse, a specialist who tracks patients’ vital signs using high-tech equipment.
On April 3, she was one of three nurses who responded after a suspected COVID patient went into cardiac arrest. Wearing a surgical mask, she intubated the patient. Three days later, she had a headache, body aches and difficulty breathing.
Her symptoms worsened, and she was admitted April 15 to the hospital where she had worked for 16 years. That was the last time Donald spoke to his mother. Two days later, she went into cardiac arrest and died that night.
Her sons plan to honor her wishes to be cremated and buried in Tagudin, alongside her parents.
— Christina M. Oriel, Asian Journal | Published May 5, 2020
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‘Hero Among Heroes,’ Doctor Cared For Generations Of Patients
Francis Molinari (right) with his siblings (from left) Janice, Albert and Lisa (Courtesy of Lisa Molinari)
Francis Molinari
Age: 70
Occupation: Physician
Place of Work: Private practice in Belleville, New Jersey; privileges at Clara Maass Medical Center
Date of Death: April 9, 2020
In late March, Dr. Francis “Frankie” Molinari told his sister Lisa he was “down for the count,” with chills, fever and trouble breathing.
“Frankie, you know what you have,” she recalled telling him.
“Yes.”
Two days later, he collapsed at home and was rushed to Clara Maass Medical Center. Colleagues stayed by his side as he succumbed to COVID-19.
“We take solace in the fact that he was cared for by colleagues and friends who deeply loved and respected him,” his sister Janice wrote in a blog. “He died a hero among heroes.”
Molinari, a New Jersey native who was married with an adult daughter, was the oldest of four siblings. His sisters describe him as a positive guy who loved music, fishing and teasing people with tall tales: He went to medical school in Bologna, Italy, and he liked to say he had played pinochle with the pope.
Molinari practiced medicine for over four decades, caring for generations of patients in the same family. His family suspects he contracted the coronavirus at his private practice.
“A friend had once described us as four different legs of the same table,” Janice wrote. “Now I’m stuck on the fact that we are only a three-legged table. Less beautiful, less sturdy. Broken.”
— Laura Ungar, Kaiser Health News | Published May 5, 2020
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5-Foot-Tall ‘Fireball’ Was A Prankster To Her Sons
(Courtesy Josh Banago)
Celia Yap-Banago
Age: 69
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri
Date of Death: April 21, 2020
Celia Yap-Banago was a 5-foot-tall “fireball,” said one co-worker. She had moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in 1970 and worked for nearly 40 years for the HCA Midwest Health system. Her family said she was planning for retirement.
Her son Josh said she showed her love through practical jokes: “You knew she loved you if she was yelling at you or if she was pranking you.”
“She was very outspoken,” said Charlene Carter, a fellow nurse. “But I later learned that’s a really good quality to have, as a nurse, so you can advocate for your patients and advocate for yourself.”
In March, Yap-Banago treated a patient who later tested positive for COVID-19. Carter said Yap-Banago was not given personal protective equipment because she was not working in an area designed for COVID patients. She spent her final days in isolation to protect others.
A spokesperson for HCA Midwest Health said that medical staff received adequate personal protective equipment in line with CDC guidelines.
Josh said she spoke with reverence of her patients and their families. “She was always focused on the family as a whole, and that the family was taken care of, not just the patient in the bed,” he said.
— Alex Smith, KCUR | Published May 5, 2020
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In Ministry And Rescue Missions, ‘He Put His All Into It’
(Courtesy of the Birmingham Family)
Billy Birmingham Sr.
Age: 69
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Kansas City Missouri Fire Department
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Bill Birmingham Jr. fondly remembers the year his father took on a new career. The whole family studied, even acting out scenes to ensure Billy Birmingham Sr., a minister, was ready for his emergency medical technician exam.
“He put his all into it,” the son recalled.
Billy Birmingham passed the test. And from the late 1990s on, he served as an EMT and a minister.
His family rallied again for his doctorate in pastoral theology. During nearly four decades as a minister, he founded two churches.
“He had a heart for other people,” his son said. “Whatever he could do for other people, he would do it.”
As an EMT with the Kansas City Fire Missouri Department, he was exposed to the novel coronavirus. The cough came in March.
“‘I’m just tired.’ That’s what he kept saying,” his son said. His dad went to the hospital twice. The first time he told the staff about his symptoms and underlying health conditions, then they sent him home.
The second time he arrived in an ambulance. Just over two weeks later, his final hours arrived.
Hospital staff set up a video chat so his family could see him one last time.
— Cara Anthony, Kaiser Health News | Published May 1, 2020
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Jovial Man Trained Scores Of Doctors In Obstetrics, Gynecology And Kindness
(Courtesy of Ashley Ulker)
Luis Caldera-Nieves
Age: 63
Occupation: OB-GYN doctor
Place of Work: University of Miami and Jackson health systems in Miami
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
“Somos felices.” That was Dr. Luis Caldera-Nieves’ signature signoff after a cesarean section or patient visit or at the end of a difficult shift. “We’re happy,” he meant, and often, when he was around, it was true.
Caldera-Nieves, a popular OB-GYN, trained scores of doctors and helped bring thousands of babies into the world in his 25 years at the University of Miami and Jackson health systems.
Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, he worked as an Air Force doctor before joining UM, said longtime co-worker Dr. Jaime Santiago. Caldera-Nieves was so devoted to his patients that he often gave them his private phone number — and his wife’s, Santiago said.
Because he was so jovial, he earned the nickname “the Puerto Rican Santa Claus,” Santiago said.
“He was truly loved and admired by everyone who worked with him, and will be remembered for his humor and never-ending positive energy,” said Dr. Jean-Marie Stephan, who trained under Caldera-Nieves.
In a statement, UM and Jackson confirmed Caldera-Nieves died from complications of COVID-19 and said they “grieve the loss of our esteemed and beloved colleague.” He is survived by his wife and six adult children.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 1, 2020
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A Cluster Of Illness Robs Community Of Another Fearless EMT
(Courtesy of Vito Cicchetti)
Kevin Leiva
Age: 24
Occupation: Emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Saint Clare’s Health in Passaic, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
When Kevin Leiva died of COVID-19 in early April, it was a second crushing loss to his close-knit team of EMT workers. Their colleague, Israel Tolentino Jr., had died one week before.
“People were scared that everyone was going to die from it,” said Vito Cicchetti, a director at Saint Clare’s Health, where the men worked. “After Izzy died, we all started getting scared for Kevin.”
Leiva, according to an obituary, “was always worried about his crew.” He was “very proud” of his work and was recalled to have said “becoming an EMT was an act of God.”
He met his wife, Marina, online while they were in high school. She moved a thousand miles to build a life with him. He loved spending time at their home, playing guitar and tending to his tegu lizards, AJ and Blue.
As COVID-19 ramped up, the station’s three ambulances each handled up to 15 dispatches a shift, roughly double the usual number. In a busy 12-hour shift, EMTs often responded to calls continuously, stopping only to decontaminate themselves and the truck.
Leiva “always had a joke” that helped to defuse stressful situations and bring his co-workers together, Cicchetti said.
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 1, 2020
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Firefighting And ‘Helping People’ Were In His Blood
(Courtesy of the Terre Haute Fire Department)
John Schoffstall
Age: 41
Occupation: Paramedic and firefighter
Place of Work: Terre Haute Fire Department in Terre Haute, Indiana
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
John Schoffstall grew up around firehouses, and it was at his own firehouse in Terre Haute, Indiana, that he was exposed to the coronavirus.
A paramedic and firefighter with the Terre Haute Fire Department for almost 12 years, Schoffstall died April 12 at age 41. Deputy Chief Glen Hall said investigations by the county health department and his own department “determined John contracted the virus from another firefighter in the firehouse.” Four other firefighters “had symptoms but none progressed.”
“We respond every day to potential COVID patients,” Hall said.
Jennifer Schoffstall, his wife of 18 years, said her husband went to the hospital March 28.
“His breathing was so bad in the ER, they just decided to keep him,” she said. “He regressed from there.”
Hall said Schoffstall’s “biggest hobby was his family,” with a son, 17, and a daughter, 13.
Schoffstall’s father had been a volunteer firefighter, Jennifer said, and her husband signed up for the New Goshen Volunteer Fire Department when he turned 18.
“He loved the fire service and everything about it,” she said. “He loved helping people.”
— Sharon Jayson | Published May 1, 2020
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Boston Nurse, A Former Bus Driver, Was A Champion For Education
(Courtesy of Teadris Pope)
Rose Taldon
Age: 63
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: New England Baptist Hospital in Boston
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
Rose Taldon was just 5 feet tall. But when she bellowed out the window, her kids ran right home.
“She didn’t take any crap,” said her daughter, Teadris Pope.
Taldon raised three children with her husband on the street where she grew up in Dorchester, Boston. She was respected as a strong black woman, earning a nursing degree while working in public transit for 23 years. Described as stern, she still was quick to tickle her eight grandkids.
Taldon was generous: Even as she lay in a hospital in April, exhausted from the coronavirus, she arranged to pay bills for an out-of-work friend, her daughter said.
It’s unclear whether Taldon caught the virus at her hospital, designated for non-COVID patients. Hospital officials said three patients and 22 staff have tested positive.
Once her mother was hospitalized, Pope couldn’t visit. On Easter morning, a doctor called at 2 a.m., offering to put Taldon on a video call.
“I just talked until I had no words,” Pope said. “I was just telling her, ‘We’re so proud of you. You worked so hard raising us. … You’ve gone through a hell of a fight.'”
An hour later, her mother was gone.
— Melissa Bailey | Published May 1, 2020
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Unflappable First Responder With An Ever-Ready Smile
(Courtesy of Vito Cicchetti)
Israel Tolentino Jr.
Age: 33
Occupation: Emergency medical technician and firefighter
Place of Work: Saint Clare’s Health and the Passaic Fire Department, both in Passaic, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
When Israel Tolentino Jr. arrived for his EMT shift one morning in March, he seemed fine. Then he got a headache. Then a fever came on, and he was sent home, said Vito Cicchetti, a director at Saint Clare’s Health.
Izzy, as he was called, was an EMT who fulfilled his dream to become a firefighter. In 2018, the former Marine took a job with the Passaic Fire Department but kept up shifts at Saint Clare’s.
He was husband to Maria Vazquez, whom he’d met at church, according to nj.com. They had two young children.
The work pace could be brutal during the pandemic. In a 12-hour shift, Tolentino and his partner were dispatched to one emergency after another, each typically lasting under an hour but requiring nearly that long to decontaminate their gear and truck.
Izzy died in hospital care. The coronavirus tore through his EMT team. Most eventually recovered. But his friend and co-worker Kevin Leiva also died.
Izzy’s unflappable, cheerful presence is missed, Cicchetti said: “No matter how mad you were, he’d come up with a smile and you’d be chuckling to yourself.”
Cicchetti hasn’t replaced either man: “I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.”
— Michelle Andrews | Published May 1, 2020
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Their Decade-Long Dream Marriage Ends In Nightmare
(Courtesy of the Detroit Fire Department)
Capt. Franklin Williams
Age: 57
Occupation: Firefighter and medical first responder
Place of Work: Detroit Fire Department in Detroit
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Capt. Franklin Williams stood at the altar on his wedding day and pretended to hunt for the ring. He patted his chest, then his pants legs and looked up at his soon-to-be wife with a million-dollar smile.
He was always clowning and “so silly,” said Shanita Williams, his wife, recalling how he wanted to make her laugh. Williams, 57, died from complications of the novel coronavirus on April 8 — one month before the couple’s 10-year wedding anniversary.
Williams had been on an emergency call with a verified COVID patient before falling ill, according to Detroit Fire Department Chief Robert Distelrath. He died in the line of duty.
Crews are equipped with personal protective equipment including a gown, N95 mask and gloves. But it’s easy for a mask to slip ― “when you’re giving [chest] compressions, your mask isn’t staying in place all the time,” said Thomas Gehart, president of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association.
When Williams fell sick on March 24, he moved to the guest bedroom and never returned to work.
“I’m thankful and thank God for having him in my life,” Shanita said, adding that she keeps hoping this is a nightmare and she’ll soon wake up.
— Sarah Jane Tribble, Kaiser Health News | Published May 1, 2020
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A 9/11 First Responder, He Answered The Call During The Pandemic
(Courtesy of the Valley Stream Fire Department)
Mike Field
Age: 59
Occupation: Volunteer emergency medical technician
Place of Work: Village of Valley Stream on New York’s Long Island
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Mike Field had a strong sense of civic duty. An emergency medical technician, he was a first responder with the New York Fire Department (FDNY) on 9/11. He was also a member of his community’s all-volunteer fire department since 1987.
After he retired from FDNY in 2002, he took a job making and posting street signs with his local public works department. He continued to volunteer with Valley Stream’s fire department and mentoring the junior fire department. When he wasn’t responding to emergencies or training future emergency technicians, he led a Boy Scout troop and volunteered for animal causes.
“Here’s somebody who cares about the community and cares about its people,” said Valley Stream’s mayor, Ed Fare, who had known Mike since the seventh grade.
Stacey Field, Mike’s wife, said he found his calling early, after his own father experienced a heart attack. “When the fire department EMTs came and helped his dad, he decided that’s what he wanted to do,” she said.
Their three sons ― Steven, 26; Richie, 22; and Jason, 19 — have followed in their father’s footsteps. Steven and Richie are EMTs in New York; Jason plans on training to become one as well. All three volunteer at the same fire station their father did.
In late March, Mike and fellow volunteer responders were called to an emergency involving a patient showing symptoms of COVID-19. Field died on April 8.
— Sharon Jayson | Published April 29, 2020
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Nurse Fought For His Life In Same ICU Where He Cared For Patients
(Courtesy of Romielyn Guillermo)
Ali Dennis Guillermo
Age: 44
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, New York
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
In 2004, Ali Dennis Guillermo, his wife, Romielyn, and their daughter came to New York from the Philippines to find a better life.
Everything fell into place. The former nursing instructor landed a job at Long Island Community Hospital, often working in intensive care or the emergency room. He enjoyed the intensity of ER work, his wife said. As years passed, the couple had two sons and settled into a close-knit Filipino community.
As COVID-19 emerged, Guillermo was posted to the step-down floor, working with patients transitioning out of intensive care.
A lot of the nurses on his floor had gotten sick with the virus, his wife said, and “everybody was scared.”
And then, Guillermo felt achy, with a fever that soared to 102. He went to the hospital and X-rays were taken, but he was sent home. Within days, his blood oxygen level plummeted.
“My nails are turning blue,” he told his wife. “You should take me to the ER.”
He was admitted that night in late March, and they never spoke again.
In the ICU unit where he’d often worked, Guillermo was intubated and treated. Nearly two weeks later, he died.
— Michelle Andrews | Published April 29, 2020
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An Eager Student, He Aimed To Become A Physician Assistant
(Courtesy of Catrisha House-Phelps)
James House
Age: 40
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Omni Continuing Care nursing home in Detroit
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
James House had a voracious appetite for learning about and a fascination with the human body.
His sister, Catrisha House-Phelps, traces it back to childhood visits to a dialysis center where their father received treatments. “That was what tugged at his heart,” she said. “He just always wanted to know ‘why.’”
House-Phelps said her brother adored his five children, treasured his anatomy and physiology books and got a kick out of the residents he cared for at Omni Continuing Care. “He thought they were family; he just said they were funny people,” she said. He had hoped to go back to school to become a physician assistant.
House came down with what he thought was the flu in mid-March. His sister said he tried to get tested for COVID-19 but was turned away because he was not showing textbook symptoms and had no underlying health issues. On March 31, after resting at home for over a week, House returned to work. Hours later, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
He texted his sister with updates on his condition. “I’m about to be intubated now,” he wrote. It was the last message he sent her.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 29, 2020
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She Loved A Parade And Catering To Patients
Pamela Hughes and her daughter, Brie
(Courtesy of Angie McAllister)
Pamela Hughes
Age: 50
Occupation: Nursing home medication aide
Place of Work: Signature HealthCARE at Summit Manor in Columbia, Kentucky
Date of Death: April 13, 2020
Pamela Hughes lived her entire life in rural Columbia, Kentucky, but longed for wide, sandy beaches. For vacation, Hughes and her daughter, Brie, 26, eagerly drove 14 hours to Daytona Beach, Florida, or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
After high school, Hughes worked at Summit Manor, a nursing home in Columbia, for 32 years. She knew which residents preferred chocolate milk or applesauce with their medication; she remembered their favorite outfits and colors. Hughes’ shy demeanor vanished each December when she and co-worker Angie McAllister built a float for the town’s Christmas parade competition.
“We built 10 floats over 10 years,” McAllister said. “We got second place every year.”
Even after several residents tested positive for the coronavirus, Hughes dismissed her worsening cough as allergies or bronchitis. The nursing home was short on help and she wanted to serve her patients, Brie said.
Days later, the public health department suggested her mother get tested. She tested positive, and her health worsened — food tasted bitter, her fever soared, her hearing dulled. On April 10, Hughes was taken by ambulance to a hospital, then by helicopter to Jewish Hospital in Louisville. Barred from visiting, Brie said goodbye over FaceTime.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published April 29, 2020
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The Family Matriarch And ‘We’re Failing Miserably Without Her’
(Courtesy of Ginu John)
Aleyamma John
Age: 65
Occupation: Registered nurse
Place of Work: Queens Hospital Center in New York City
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
Aleyamma John’s family wanted her to retire. Her husband, Johnny, an MTA transit worker, had stopped working a few years earlier. He and their son Ginu urged her to follow suit. “We told her, ‘I’m sure Dad wants to see the world with you — you need to give him that opportunity,’” Ginu said.
She demurred. “I think she found fulfillment in being able to serve,” Ginu said. “She was able to hold people’s hands, you know, even when they were deteriorating and be there for them.” She began her career as a nurse in India 45 years ago; she and her husband immigrated to the United Arab Emirates, where their two sons were born, and moved to New York in 2002.
Ginu said his mother, a devout Christian, found joy in tending to her vegetable garden and doting on her two grandchildren. She cooked dishes from her native India and filled the Long Island home she shared with Johnny, Ginu and Ginu’s family with flowers.
In March, as Queens Hospital Center began to swell with COVID-19 patients, John sent her family a photo of herself and colleagues wearing surgical hats and masks but not enough personal protective equipment. Days later, she developed a fever and tested positive for the virus. Johnny, Ginu and Ginu’s wife, Elsa, a nurse practitioner, also became ill.
When John’s breathing became labored, her family made the difficult decision to call 911. It would be the last time they saw her. “We’re 17 days in, and I feel like we’re failing miserably without her,” Ginu said.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 29, 2020
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‘A Kind Man’ Looking Forward To Retirement
(Courtesy of Jesse Soto)
Thomas Soto
Age: 59
Occupation: Radiology clerk
Place of Work: Woodhull Medical Center, a public hospital in Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
After more than 30 years at one of New York City’s busy public hospitals, Thomas Soto loved his job but was looking forward to retiring, said his son, Jesse Soto, who lived with him.
At Soto’s busy station near the emergency room, he greeted patients and took down their information.
“Everybody saw him before their X-rays,” Soto, 29, said. “He smiled all day, made jokes. He was a kind man.”
As COVID patients began to overwhelm Woodhull and other emergency rooms across the city, Soto said that at first his father didn’t have any protective gear.
He eventually got a mask. But he still grew very sick, developing a high fever, body aches and a wracking cough. After a week, Soto said, “he couldn’t take it anymore.”
He went to Woodhull, where he was admitted. When they tried to put him on a ventilator two days later, he died. The hospital did not respond to requests for comment.
— Michelle Andrews | Published April 29, 2020
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‘Blooming’ In Her First Job On Path To Becoming A Nurse
(Courtesy of the Viveros family via GoFundMe)
Valeria Viveros
Age: 20
Occupation: Nursing assistant
Place of Work: Extended Care Hospital of Riverside, California
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
At 20 years old, Valeria Viveros was “barely blooming,” developing the skills and ambition to pursue a nursing career, said Gustavo Urrea, her uncle. Working at Extended Care Hospital of Riverside was her first job.
Viveros, born in California to Mexican immigrants, grew attached to her patients at the nursing home, bringing them homemade ceviche, Urrea said. About a month ago, as he watched her cook, play and joke with her grandmother, he noticed how much her social skills had grown.
When she would say “Hi, Tío,” in her playful, sweet, high-pitched voice, “it was like the best therapy you could have,” Urrea recalled. Viveros, who lived with her parents and two siblings, was enrolled in classes at a community college.
Viveros felt sick on March 30, went to a nearby hospital and was sent home with Tylenol, Urrea said. By April 4, she couldn’t get out of bed on her own. She left in an ambulance and never came back.
“We’re all destroyed,” he said. “I can’t even believe it.”
On April 5, county health officials reported a coronavirus outbreak had sickened 30 patients and some staff at her nursing home. Trent Evans, general counsel for Extended Care, said staffers are heartbroken by her death.
Viveros was “head over heels in love with the residents that she served,” he said. “She was always there for them.”
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 29, 2020
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Surgical Technician Made Friends Everywhere She Went
(Courtesy of Jorge Casarez)
Monica Echeverri Casarez
Age: 49
Occupation: Surgical technician
Place of Work: Detroit Medical Center Harper University Hospital in Detroit
Date of Death: April 11, 2020
Monica Echeverri Casarez was in constant motion, said her husband, Jorge Casarez. The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she worked as a Spanish-English interpreter in clinical settings. She was the kind of person whose arrival at a mom and pop restaurant would elicit hugs from the owners. She also co-founded Southwest Detroit Restaurant Week, a nonprofit that supports local businesses.
Twice a month, she scrubbed in as a surgical technician at Harper University Hospital. “She liked discovering the beauty of how the body works and how science is clear and orderly,” Casarez said. She was organized and intuitive, qualities that are assets in the operating room. On March 21, she posted a photo of herself in protective gear with the caption: “I’d be lying if I said I wan’t at least a bit nervous to be there now.” Since many elective surgeries had been canceled, Echeverri Casarez was tasked with taking the temperatures of people who walked into the hospital and making sure their hands were sterilized.
Soon after, Echeverri Casarez and Casarez began feeling ill. Quarantined together, Echeverri Casarez tried to make the best of the situation. She baked her husband a cake — chocolate with white frosting. She died a few days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 24, 2020
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A Whip-Smart Neurologist Endlessly Fascinated With The Brain
(Courtesy of Jennifer Sclar)
Gary Sclar
Age: 66
Occupation: Neurologist
Place of Work: Mount Sinai Queens in New York City
Date of Death: April 12, 2020
Gary Sclar was a whip-smart neurologist who loved comic books, “Game of Thrones” and “Star Wars,” said his daughter, Jennifer Sclar. He was deeply compassionate with a blunt bedside manner.
“My dad was fascinated with the brain and with science,” Jennifer Sclar said. “His work was his passion, and it’s what made him the happiest, besides my brother and me.” Set to retire in June, he was looking forward to writing about politics and neurology.
Gary Sclar saw patients who were showing COVID-19 symptoms and knew his age and underlying health conditions ― he had diabetes — put him at risk for developing complications from the illness. His daughter pleaded with him to stop going to the hospital.
In early April, he mentioned having lost his sense of smell, and on April 8 he collapsed in his home. He was hospitalized a few days later and agreed to be intubated. “I don’t think he realized, like, that this was the end,” Jennifer Sclar said. “He brought his keys. He brought his wallet.”
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 24, 2020
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An Exacting But Loving Aunt, She Was A Mentor Until The End
(Courtesy of Jhoanna Mariel Buendia)
Araceli Buendia Ilagan
Age: 63
Occupation: Intensive care unit nurse
Place of Work: Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami
Date of Death: March 27, 2020
For Jhoanna Mariel Buendia, her aunt was a constant ― if distant — presence. Araceli Buendia Ilagan emigrated from their hometown Baguio, in the Philippines, to the U.S. before Buendia was born, but she remained close to her family and communicated with them nearly every day.
“She was one of the smartest people I ever knew,” Buendia, 27, said. Buendia Ilagan, who at one point looked into adopting her niece so she could join her and her husband the United States, encouraged Buendia to become a nurse, and talked her through grueling coursework in anatomy and physiology. Buendia is now a nurse in London.
Buendia Ilagan was also demanding. “Whenever she visited the Philippines, she wanted everything to be organized and squeaky-clean,” Buendia said.
The last time the two spoke, in late March, Buendia Ilagan didn’t mention anything about feeling ill. Instead, the two commiserated over their experiences of treating patients with COVID-19; as always, her aunt offered her advice on staying safe while giving the best possible care. She died four days later.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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A Beloved Geriatric Psychiatrist And Church Musician Remembered For His Cooking Skills
(Courtesy of Nida Gonzales)
Leo Dela Cruz
Age: 57
Occupation: Geriatric psychiatrist
Place of Work: Christ Hospital and CarePoint Health in Jersey City, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Dr. Leo Dela Cruz was nervous about going to work in the weeks before he died, his friends said. Like many in the region, Christ Hospital had an influx of COVID-19 patients and faced a shortage of ventilators and masks.
Dela Cruz was a geriatric psychiatrist and didn’t work in coronavirus wards. But he continued to see patients in person. In early April, Dela Cruz, who lived alone, complained only of migraines, his friends said. Within a week, his condition worsened, and he was put on a ventilator at a nearby hospital. He died soon after.
Friends said he may have been exposed at the hospital. (In a statement, hospital representatives said he didn’t treat COVID-19 patients.)
Dela Cruz, the oldest of 10 siblings, came from a family of health care professionals. His friends and family — from Cebu, Philippines, to Teaneck, New Jersey — remembered his jovial personality on Facebook. He won “best doctor of the year” awards, played tennis and cooked traditional Cebu dishes.
Nida Gonzales, a colleague, said he always supported people, whether funding a student’s education or running a church mental health program. “I feel like I lost a brother,” she said.
— Ankita Rao, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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Alabama Nurse Remembered As Selfless But Sassy
(Courtesy of Amanda Williams)
Rose Harrison
Age: 60
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Marion Regional Nursing Home in Hamilton, Alabama
Date of Death: April 6, 2020
Rose Harrison, 60, lived to serve others ― her husband, three daughters, grandchildren and the residents of the nursing home where she worked. Though the Alabama nurse was selfless, she also had a sassy edge to her personality and a penchant for road rage, her daughter, Amanda Williams said.
“Her personality was so funny, you automatically loved her,” Williams said. “She was so outspoken. If she didn’t agree with you, she’d tell you in a respectful way.”
Harrison was not wearing a mask when she cared for a patient who later tested positive for COVID-19 at Marion Regional Nursing Home in Hamilton, Alabama, her daughter said. She later developed a cough, fatigue and a low-grade fever, but kept reporting to duty all week. Officials from the nursing home did not return calls for comment.
On April 3, Williams drove her mother to a hospital. The following evening, Harrison discussed the option of going on a ventilator with loved ones on a video call, agreeing it was the best course. Williams believed that her mother fully expected to recover. She died April 6.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 22, 2020
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Connecticut Social Worker Had Angelic Singing Voice And A Zest For Life
(Courtesy of the Hunt family)
Curtis Hunt
Age: 57
Occupation: Social worker
Places of Work: Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center and New Reach, both in New Haven, Connecticut
Date of Death: March 23, 2020
At a shelter for adults recovering from addiction, residents looked forward to the days when Marion “Curtis” Hunt would take the stage, emceeing talent shows and belting out Broadway and gospel tunes.
It wasn’t part of his job description as a social worker. It was just one of the ways he went “above and beyond,” said his supervisor at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, Daena Murphy. “He had a beautiful voice,” she said. “He was just a wonderful person — funny, engaging, always a huge smile on his face.”
Hunt, the youngest of four brothers, earned his master’s in social work from Fordham University at 52, and was baptized at his brother’s Pentecostal church at 54. He was a devoted uncle who doted on his dog and cat, Mya and Milo.
It’s unclear how Hunt got infected, but one patient he worked with had tested positive for COVID-19, as did two co-workers, according to Dr. Ece Tek, another supervisor at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center. Hunt died on March 23, one week after developing flu-like symptoms, said his brother John Mann Jr.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 22, 2020
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To The End, King-Smith Was Driven By A Desire To Help Others
(Courtesy of Hassana Salaam-Rivers)
Kim King-Smith
Age: 53
Occupation: Electrocardiogram technician
Place of Work: University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
Kim King-Smith was a natural caregiver. An only child, she grew up close to her extended family, including her cousins Hassana Salaam-Rivers and Sharonda Salaam. After Salaam developed multiple sclerosis, King-Smith visited her every day.
“She’d bring her sweets that she wasn’t supposed to have and share them with her,” Salaam-Rivers said. King-Smith’s desire to care for others was the reason she became an electrocardiogram technician, her cousin added. “If a friend of a friend or family member went to the hospital, she would always go and visit them as soon as her shift was over,” she said.
In March, King-Smith cared for a patient she said had symptoms of COVID-19; she soon fell ill herself and tested positive for the virus. It seemed like a mild case at first, and she stayed in touch with family via FaceTime while trying to isolate from her husband, Lenny.
On March 29, Salaam-Rivers checked in on her cousin and noticed she was struggling to breathe. She urged her to call an ambulance. After King-Smith was hospitalized, she exchanged text messages with her mother and cousin. As the day progressed, her messages carried increasingly grave news, Salaam-Rivers said. Then she stopped responding.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 22, 2020
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On The Eve Of Retirement, VA Nurse Succumbs To COVID-19
(Courtesy of Mark Accad)
Debbie Accad
Age: 72
Occupation: Clinical nursing coordinator
Place of Work: Detroit VA Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan
Date of Death: March 30, 2020
Nurse Divina “Debbie” Accad had cared for veterans for over 25 years and was set to retire in April. But after contracting the novel coronavirus, she spent her final 11 days on a ventilator — and didn’t survive past March.
She joined a growing list of health care professionals working on the front lines of the pandemic who have died from COVID-19.
Accad, 72, a clinical nursing coordinator at the Detroit VA Medical Center, dedicated her life to nursing, according to her son Mark Accad.
“She died doing what she loved most,” he said. “That was caring for people.”
Read more here.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 15, 2020
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California Nurse Thrived In ER and ICU, But Couldn’t Survive COVID-19
Jeff Baumbach and his wife, Karen
(Courtesy of the Baumbach family)
Jeff Baumbach
Age: 57
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, California
Date of Death: March 31, 2020
Jeff Baumbach, 57, was a seasoned nurse of 28 years when the novel coronavirus began to circulate in California. He’d worked in the ER, the ICU and on a cardiac floor. Hepatitis and tuberculosis had been around over the years but never posed a major concern. He’d cared for patients who had tuberculosis.
Jeff and his wife, Karen Baumbach, also a nurse, initially didn’t consider it significantly riskier than challenges they’d faced for years.
“He’d worked in the ICU. He was exposed to so many things, and we never got anything,” she said. “This was just ramping up.”
One day during work, Jeff sent a sarcastic text to his wife: “I love wearing a mask every day.”
Within weeks, he would wage a difficult and steady fight against the virus that ended with a sudden collapse.
Read more here.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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Nurse’s Faith Led Her To Care For Prisoners At A New Jersey Jail
(Courtesy of Denise Rendor)
Daisy Doronila
Age: 60
Occupation: Nurse
Place of Work: Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny, New Jersey
Date of Death: April 5, 2020
Daisy Doronila had a different perspective than most who worked at the Hudson County Correctional Facility, a New Jersey lockup 11 miles from Manhattan. It was a place where the veteran nurse could put her Catholic faith into action, showing kindness to marginalized people.
“There would be people there for the most heinous crimes,” said her daughter, Denise Rendor, 28, “but they would just melt towards my mother because she really was there to give them care with no judgment.”
Doronila, 60, died April 5, two weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The jail has been hit hard by the virus, with 27 inmates and 68 staff members having tested positive. Among those, another nurse, a correctional officer and a clerk also died, according to Ron Edwards, Hudson County’s director of corrections.
Doronila fell ill before the scope of the jail infections were known. She was picking up extra shifts in the weeks before, her daughter said, and planning on a trip to Israel soon with friends from church.
That plan began to fall apart March 14, when someone at the jail noticed her coughing and asked her to go home and visit a doctor.
Read more here.
— Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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An Army Veteran, Hospital Custodian ‘Loved Helping People’
(Courtesy of Michelle Wilcox)
Alvin Simmons
Age: 54
Occupation: Environmental service assistant
Place of Work: Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, New York
Death: March 17, 2020
Alvin Simmons started working as a custodian at Rochester General Hospital, in New York state, weeks before he fell ill. “He loved helping people and he figured the best place to do that would be in a hospital,” his sister, Michelle Wilcox said.
An Army veteran who had served in the first Gulf War, Simmons loved karaoke and doted on his three grandchildren, Wilcox said. “He was a dedicated, hardworking individual who had just changed his life around” since a prison stint, she said.
According to Wilcox, Simmons began developing symptoms shortly after cleaning the room of a woman he believed was infected with the novel coronavirus. “Other hospital employees did not want to clean the room because they said they weren’t properly trained” to clean the room of someone potentially infected, she said. “They got my brother from a different floor, because he had just started there,” she said. (In an email, a hospital spokesperson said they had “no evidence to suggest that Mr. Simmons was at a heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19 by virtue of his training or employment duties at RGH.”)
On March 11, he visited the emergency room at Rochester General, where he was tested for COVID-19, Wilcox said. Over the next few days, as he rested at his girlfriend’s home, his breathing became more labored and he began to cough up blood. He was rushed to the hospital on March 13, where he was later declared brain-dead. Subsequently, he received a COVID-19 diagnosis. Simmons died on March 17.
— Danielle Renwick, The Guardian | Published April 15, 2020
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Nurse At Nevada VA Dies After Caring For Infected Colleague
(Courtesy of Bob Thompson)
Vianna Thompson
Age: 52
Occupation: Nurse
Places of Work: VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System and Northern Nevada Medical Center in Reno, Nevada
Date of Death: April 7, 2020
Nurse Vianna Thompson, 52, spent two night shifts caring for a fellow Veterans Affairs health care worker who was dying from COVID-19.
Two weeks later, she too was lying in a hospital intensive care unit, with a co-worker holding her hand as she died.
Thompson and the man she treated were among three VA health care workers in Reno, Nevada, to die in two weeks from complications of the novel coronavirus.
“It’s pretty devastating. It’s surreal. Reno’s not that big of a city,” said Robyn Underhill, a night nurse who worked with Thompson in the ER at Reno’s VA hospital the past two years.
Thompson, who dreamed of teaching nursing one day, died April 7, joining a growing list of health care professionals killed in the pandemic.
Read more here.
— Melissa Bailey | Published April 15, 2020
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Dr. J. Ronald Verrier Was Busy Saving Lives Before The Pandemic
(Courtesy of Christina Pardo)
J. Ronald Verrier
Age: 59
Occupation: Surgeon
Place of Work: St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, New York
Date of Death: April 8, 2020
Dr. J. Ronald Verrier, a surgeon at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, spent the final weeks of his audacious, unfinished life tending to a torrent of patients inflicted with COVID-19. He died April 8 at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, New York, at age 59, after falling ill from the novel coronavirus.
Verrier led the charge even as the financially strapped St. Barnabas Hospital struggled to find masks and gowns to protect its workers — many nurses continue to make cloth masks — and makeshift morgues in the parking lot held patients who had died.
“He did a good work,” said Jeannine Sherwood, a nurse manager at St. Barnabas Hospital who worked closely with Verrier.
“He can rest.”
Read more here.
— Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News | Published April 15, 2020
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America’s First ER Doctor To Die In The Heat Of COVID-19 Battle
(Courtesy of Debra Vasalech Lyons)
Frank Gabrin
Age: 60
Occupation: Doctor
Places of Work: St. John’s Episcopal in Queens, New York, and East Orange General in New Jersey
Date of Death: March 26, 2020
At about 5 a.m. on March 19, a New York City ER physician named Frank Gabrin texted a friend about his concerns over the lack of medical supplies at hospitals.
“It’s busy ― everyone wants a COVID test that I do not have to give them,” he wrote in the message to Eddy Soffer. “So they are angry and disappointed.”
Worse, though, was the limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) — the masks and gloves that help keep health care workers from getting sick and spreading the virus to others. Gabrin said he had no choice but to don the same mask for several shifts, against Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
“Don’t have any PPE that has not been used,” he wrote. “No N95 masks ― my own goggles — my own face shield,” he added, referring to the N95 respirators considered among the best lines of defense.
Less than two weeks later, Gabrin became the first ER doctor in the U.S. known to have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Read more here.
— Alastair Gee, The Guardian | Published April 10, 2020
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This story is part of “Lost on the Frontline,” an ongoing project from The Guardian and Kaiser Health News that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who die from COVID-19, and to investigate why so many are victims of the disease. If you have a colleague or loved one we should include, please share their story.
from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/lost-on-the-frontline-health-care-worker-death-toll-covid19-coronavirus/
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Taking Appropriate Garage Door Repairing Services
Garage doors are quite important for the security of your vehicles in your garage. These doors require frequent maintenance, testing and repair in order to make sure their smooth consistency and long-term working capability. So it is quite important that you go for professional garage door repair services because they offer a wide range of services to keep the door in proper working condition. A professional and efficient such a company will always provide a variety of services which includes repair and maintenance and replacement services also. But it is essential that you choose the right garage door repairing company, because one wrong decision can waste your time and money. Since there are many such service providers available these days, so some inquiries and investigation and find a suitable such a service provider for yourself.
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