On Friday, June 12, 2020, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. launched a virtual tribute to remember and celebrate the lives of Bronxites lost during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The virtual memorial went live on the Bronx Borough President’s website bronxboropres.nyc.gov/covidmemorial and honors borough residents who lost loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those wishing to submit the name of a Bronxite to be included on the page can do so at bit.ly/bxcovidmemorial.

 

“The COVID-19 pandemic hit our borough very hard, affecting us all as a community,” said Diaz Jr. “This virtual memorial allows us the opportunity to mourn and honor our loved ones who passed away to this illness, as we look toward adjusting to our new realities created as a result of the Coronavirus.”

 

Memorial videos were also provided by New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, New York State Assembly Member Marcos Crespo, New York State Assembly Member Michael Blake, New York State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, New York State Assembly Member Nathalia Fernandez, New York State Assembly Member Victor Pichardo, New York State Senator Jamaal Bailey, New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca, New York City Council Member Vanessa Gibson, New York City Council Member Fernando Cabrera and New York City Council Member Andrew Cohen, members of the New York Police Department, the New York Fire Departments, and spiritual leaders such as Bishops Angelo and Nancy Rosario of the Bronx Clergy Task Force and Rabbi Bob Kaplan — Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

 

“COVID-19 has affected so many Bronx families and this virtual memorial gives us a chance to reflect on the pain of losing our loved ones to the virus,” said Deputy Bronx Borough President Marricka Scott-McFadden. “As the nation continues to grapple with the effects of this devastating pandemic, our hope is that this tribute to the victims brings comfort to the bereaved, so that they know that they are not alone in their grief and that The Bronx is here to help them heal.”