Queens Sanitation Worker Is Agency's First Coronavirus Death

QUEENS, NY — Queens Sanitation Worker Raymond Copeland died Sunday of complications related to the new coronavirus, marking the city sanitation department's first COVID-19 death.

Copeland worked in the agency's Queens East 12 division in southeast Queens, according to a spokesperson. He joined the Department of Sanitation in 2014.

“We are all mourning his passing, but please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers." Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia said in a message to staff. "I look forward to a time when we can come together to mourn and remember him.”

A GoFundMe campaign started by a former coworker, Salvatore Gomez, has so far raised about $7,000 for Copeland's family.

"He was part of our dysfunctional but loving family, from cracking jokes, to partying or even, the occasional heart felt discussions about family or the job," Gomez wrote.

We mourn the passing of Sanitation Worker Raymond Copeland of Queens 12, who passed away of complications from COVID-19. He is our first employee to lose his life to this disease that has taken so many of our fellow New Yorkers. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/qJRklJgeba
— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) April 7, 2020

Copeland is survived by his girlfriend, three daughters and two grandchildren.