On the Anniversary of NYC’s First Covid Death, An Opportunity to Commemorate Those We’ve Lost
By Carol Tannenhauser
COVID-19 robbed us of our rituals. Amid a year of loss, funerals and memorial services were banned or limited, so that mourners had little time to process or commemorate the devastation. But on Sunday, March 14th — the one-year anniversary of the city’s first coronavirus death — Councilmember Mark Levine is taking a step toward remedying that.
At 4 p.m., there will be a virtual commemoration for those we have lost to the coronavirus. Levine, who represents a section of the UWS and Northern Manhattan, will be joined by Assembly Member Rev. Al Taylor, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, and Assembly Member Carmen de la Rosa.
There will be a service, during which individuals who have signed up in advance will be invited to give short eulogies of loved ones they have lost. You can sign up to share your tribute here. The link to the event is here.
I understand the desire to commemorate, but I can’t help but feel angry that the city is claiming the first death happened on March 14th. My roommate died from covid complications on March 7th – he never went tto the hospital because he didn’t know that he should be very, very concerned about having such an extended hour of “bronchitis” and fever. He was 26. Thanks to early mishandling of the virus, there’s no such thing as the city’s first death.