with covid-19 now claiming one
million lives in the united
States, we want to pause to
acknowledge this moment and
remember some of the Americans
who lost their lives to this
virus since the pandemic began.
61-year-old quinsey Simpson, a
correctional officer at new
York's rikers island, was known
for his calm demeanor, great
sense of humor, and hard work
ethic.
When he contracted covid-19,
quinsey called in sick for only
the second time in his 18 years
on the job.
He was a mentor to the
basketball players he coached,
neighborhood school kids, and
his 6-year-old son, Ayden.
Hatsy yasukochi was the heart of
her family-run bakery in San
Francisco.
She knew her customers by name,
and often their orders by heart.
A proud mother and grandmother,
hatsy displayed family photos on
the bakery walls and loved
taking silly Snapchats with her
five grandchildren.
As a young girl, hatsy's family
was imprisoned in internment
camps during the second world
War.
Her daughters say that
experience gave her the
perseverance she would later
rely on to battle cancer.
She was 80 years old.
Arlene Saunders was as
captivating as her soprano opera
voice.
Born and raised in Cleveland,
Ohio, Arlene spent most of her
career in Germany, performing
with the Hamburg state opera on
stage and on television.
She would go on to sing at the
biggest opera house in the
world, the met.
Down-to-earth and elegant,
Arlene moved to New York in
1986, where she married the man
she loved to dance and sing
with, Raymond Raskin.
Arlene was 89 years old.
Barry Webber was a renaissance
man, a New York City surgeon who
could build cars and computers,
and also loved the ballet and
classical music.
His wife, Harriet, says he was
quiet and mysterious, but
confident in the emergency and
operating rooms, and a great
teacher.
He shared his love for rock
climbing with his two boys,
Duncan and Michael.
Barry was 67 years old.
Margie Kidd was in her 40's when
she went back to school to
become a teacher.
She had a gift for holding the
attention of her kindergartners
and first-graders in ridgeland,
South Carolina, and regularly
said that learning should always
be fun.
She'd wake up early, by 6:00
A.M. Each day, and send silly
memes to her daughters and
grandchildren, along with
messages of love and advice.
>> Just remember what I taught
you, to become a better woman,
you must believe in yourself,
you must do better, and you must
help others.
Judy: Margie was 71 years old.
Freddie Perez de Tagle loved to
sing, whether in his church
choir or just answering the
phone, his son told us.
He moved from the Philippines to
Toledo, Ohio in his twenties to
be with his wife, Priscilla.
A dedicated grandfather, Freddie
loved the outdoors and camping.
He also had a lifelong interest
in fashion.
His family said he took pride in
choosing what to wear every day.
Freddie was 67 years old.
Melvin greennagel lived a long,
full life of music, service and
family.
Raised on a farm in metamora,
Illinois, he played tuba in the
U.S. Army band during World War
II, and was the last living
member of the band that marched
under the arc de triomphe on
victory in Europe day, 1945.
It's after the war, Melvin
married and settled in
Arlington, Virginia, where he
continued to play music for the
U.S. Army and raise a family.
His granddaughter told us he was
a calming presence who embraced
the quiet moments, and, in
retirement, loved nurturing his
grandchildren, basset hounds,
and many plants. He died at age
103.
Mary Beth Nolan's parenting and
teaching philosophy was to let
children learn by making their
own choices and mistakes, her
family said.
She applied this when
homeschooling her three children
, then as an
elementary school science
teacher in Houston, Texas.
Mary Beth was also a lifelong
learner, her sister said.
At 50, she gained a master's
degree in educational technology
and she was instrumental in
transitioning her school to
virtual learning during the
pandemic.
She lived with chronic pain from
rheumatoid arthritis but never
complained, her daughter said.
Mary Beth died two weeks before
her 60th birthday.
77-year-old Roselyn Knox was the
backbone of her family, and
trusted confidant for many
others her son said.
Born in Ohio, Roselyn grew up in
Colorado and played violin in
the all-state orchestra.
She moved with her husband,
Sylvester, to military bases he
was stationed on across the
country and globe.
Eventually they settled in
Tacoma, Washington with their
two children.
Faith was central to Roselyn's
life.
She volunteered at her church
for decades and founded a
Christian nonprofit focused on
connecting women with the gospel
online.
Yvonne brown loved poetry and
believed in the power of
literature, friends and family
told us.
She shared these passions in her
classroom, as an English teacher
at parkland high school in
prince George's county,
Maryland.
Yvonne also volunteered for the
Toni Morrison society for 15
years and wrote a memoir about
growing up in a fractious
iranian-american family.
She "Lived life loud," a friend
told us, and wanted her
daughters Samira and Layla to be
confident and comfortable in any
setting.
She was 44 years old.
Salvador Ortiz, known as "Cano,"
was warm, funny and selfless his
daughters told us.
Cano grew up in a large family
in Puerto Rico, then moved to
Lorain, Ohio with his wife
Julie.
He worked at the Lorain city
water department for three
decades and also did odd jobs as
a handyman to support his
family, his daughters said.
Cano loved the Cleveland browns
and bonding with his seven
grandchildren and two
great grandchildren.
He was 68 years old.
We want to thank all the
families for sharing your
stories with us.
Our hearts go out to you as they
do to everyone who has lost a
loved one in this pandemic.
And online right now, we have
more on the tragic covid
milestone, including why it's so
hard for us to comprehend the
true scale of the lives we've
lost.