WEST ORANGE, NJ — She saw and heard things she’ll never forget. But after recovering from a harrowing brush with the new coronavirus, a West Orange resident and 9/11 survivor is sharing her “good news” recovery story in an effort to bring hope during a dark time.
Earlier this week, a West Orange woman shared the story of her bout with COVID-19 via social media.
Township officials shared her statement online:
“I wanted to write to you to share with you a ‘good news’ outcome story regarding COVID-19. My husband Jerry and I are West Orange residents and we were both hospitalized for 13 days at St. Barnabas. I was critical and Jerry was relatively stable but we both have underlying medical issues. Jerry has a catastrophic freak accident in 2016 and is a paraplegic, and I am a 9/11 survivor (I was on the 29th floor of Tower 1 during the attack) and my lungs are compromised due to sarcoidosis post 9/11. They wanted to put me on a ventilator but I fought it and was put on high flow oxygen. I saw and heard things at the hospital that I will never forget – the desperate calls for iPads so people could say goodbye to their family, the sadness in the eyes of the nurses, and in my case, the joy my doctors expressed when I turned the corner and started to improve. While in the hospital, I followed [Mayor Robert Parisi’s] updates on the site of the souls lost in this tragedy and was grateful for the leadership at this unprecedented time. The health department also contacted us to make sure our circle of contact did not impact others in the town (it did not) We are now recuperating at home – it will take time – but we are lucky to be alive. I would love to share our story with Gov. Phil Murphy as well – we are resilient and I pray for everyone impacted. May everyone be safe – Best Regards. Wendy.”
While her story ended with a sigh of relief, for others in West Orange, the virus has wrought a devastating toll.
As of Sunday morning, there have been 481 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the township, with 32 deaths linked to the disease, according to Essex County officials.
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“This virus, in a short time, has touched every one of us, from every corner of town, like nothing we have known before,” Mayor Parisi wrote Friday. “Wherever you may find spiritual strength, I hope you and your family find comfort at this time, as we all pray, in our own way, for a quick end to this crisis. We can do this, we are strong and we are West Orange.”
Want to help a neighbor in need? The Mayor’s Sunshine Fund is helping many neighbors with food and support during the coronavirus crisis. Learn how to make a donation or apply for assistance by calling 973-325-4105. Residents can also access the fund and other information related to COVID-19 on the township website.
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