Putting a face on the victims of the coronavirus pandemic is a must in understanding the seriousness of the situation.
In New York, a Brooklyn principal died due to complications from the coronavirus — the first known death of a city public school staffer due to the pandemic, according to officials.
Dezann Romain, 36, headed the Brooklyn Democracy Academy in Brownsville, a transfer school for students who have dropped out or fallen behind in credits in traditional high school settings.
Another recent COVID-19 victim in New York City was Lee Green, a former St. John’s University basketball star, 49.
Green succumbed to complications of the coronavirus, according to his close friend and former teammate, Lamont Middleton.
“He was our defensive lockdown guy,” said Ron Linfonte, St. John’s director of sports medicine and longtime head trainer. “He could score if he needed to. He was one of the guys who really relished the role of ‘Give me your best player and I’ll lock him down.’ He sacrificed his offense a lot for the good of the team, and he was everybody’s favorite.”
Principal Romain’s death was “impossibly difficult,” schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a statement.
“We’re all experiencing a deep sense of confusion, uncertainty, and sadness and it’s more important than ever to provide support to one another,” he said. “We’ll be there for the students and staff through whatever means necessary during this impossibly difficult time.
“This is painful for all of us, and I extend my deepest condolences to the Brooklyn Democracy Academy community, and the family of Principal Romain.”
Romain was promoted from assistant principal to principal between 2016 and 2017, The New York Post reported.
Brooklyn-based Green was a retired police officer and DJ who attended Tolentine High School and went by the stage name “El Dorado.”
A parade All-American in high school, the Bronx native played for St. John’s from 1991 to 1994, reaching two NCAA Tournaments. He remained a St. John’s fan and attended its win over DePaul at the Garden on Jan. 11, The New York Post reported.
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“My brother, my teammate, it’s kind of hard,” Middleton said in a phone interview. “Cool guy. Everywhere he went Lee had a smile. He had a big personality.”
Green, who wasn’t believed to have any pre-existing medical issues, contracted the virus at an event he was working as a DJ.
According to doctors, Black Americans might not be getting tested for COVID-19 at the same rate as others.
“We know in the U.S. that there are great discrepancies in not only the diagnosis but the treatment that African Americans and other minorities are afforded. So I want to make sure that in this pandemic, that Black and brown people are treated in the same way and that these tests are made available in the same pattern as for white people,” Dr. Ebony Hilton told BuzzFeed.
