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Died December 31, 2020.
Dr. Paul Rafalides School, Jersey City, NJ
Boiler Operator
Two employees of the Jersey City Public Schools have died of COVID-19, the district confirmed.
Willy Emanuele, a 66-year-old bus driver died Dec. 30, followed by Stephen Daniels, a 50-year-old boiler operator at School 33 who died the next day, district officials said.
“Sadly our district lost two friends and valued colleagues this past week,” Superintendent Franklin Walker and Board of Education President Mussab Ali said in a joint statement.
“Our district grieves not only the passing of such tremendous individuals but also for the loss that their families have suffered. Our hearts and prayers go out to them at this difficult time.”
Emanuele and Daniels are the second and third district employees to die of the virus since the pandemic began. Treasy Brown, a crisis intervention teacher, died of the virus in the spring, Deputy Superintendent Norma Fernandez said.
Since March, when the pandemic started, 129 school district employees have contracted the coronavirus.
Just this week Ferris High School was closed to staff members when the district learned through contact tracing that a visitor tested positive for COVID-19, district spokeswoman Norma Fernandez said. The staff is expected to be back in the building Monday.
Fernandez said both Emanuele and Daniels were working up until the time they got sick, although it’s unclear where they contracted the virus, she added.
“With these two deaths we’re very saddened because in the span of a week we lost two friends and valued colleagues for many individuals in this district,” Fernandez said.
Daniels’ sister, Tamera, said he is survived by three sons, two brothers and two others sisters.
“He loved his family dearly,” Tamera Daniels said. “He was always the life of the party.”