You are reading

Relatives of Queens Coronavirus Victims Plan Remembrance Day

John and Brian Walter (courtesy of Brian Walter)

March 2, 2021 By Christina Santucci

Middle Village resident Brian Walter lost his 80-year-old father to COVID-19 in May, but his family was not able to properly mourn.

“We had a funeral with no attendance, no wake, no services,” he said.

So, Walter has sought to honor his dad, John, in another way. He has teamed up with several relatives of other victims to organize Queens Covid Remembrance Day this spring.

The event, which will pay tribute to those who died of COVID-19, is scheduled for May 1 at the Forest Park Bandshell.

The memorial is being organized by 12 people–many of whom lost parents to the virus. One man who will be participating will be doing so in memory of his son.

“They are looking for some sort of day where their…[family member] can be recognized,” Walter said.

The group plans to mark the solemn occasion by placing portraits of COVID-19 victims from Queens on 400 otherwise empty benches — and adorning the bandshell with yellow hearts inscribed with names of victims from outside of the borough.

So far, organizers have received submissions that honor 120 victims from Queens and 300 people who perished who lived outside the borough.

Sketched portraits of those who died are being drawn by the 16-year-old artist behind Faces of Covid Victims. Meanwhile, Kristina Libby from The Floral Heart Project will create an original art piece for the day. Organizers also hope to set up a reflection area at the site to honor essential workers.

Mr. Met and John Walter (Courtesy Brian Walter)

Walter said a short service and interfaith prayer is planned with remarks from elected officials and Queens residents who lost loved ones to COVID-19.

The group is still waiting to hear back about its permit request for the event, which would limit how many people could attend. The memorial will also be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.

“It’s going to be an important event to try to find some sort of closure for all we have been through,” Walter said.

Walter’s father fell ill with COVID-19 in mid-April and died nearly three weeks later on May 10. Around the same time, Walter was himself experiencing coronavirus symptoms, and his mother, Peg, tested positive for the virus, but luckily did not get sick.

Peg has since been helping Walter with plans for the remembrance event. “She has been my rock through all of this,” Walter said of his mother.

When asked to describe his father, Walter spoke about John’s zeal for life and helping others. “He had an infectious personality. He loved to laugh, he loved to make other people laugh,” Walter said.

A lifelong resident of Middle Village, John had been honored by state Sen. Joseph Addabbo on his 80th birthday for living in the same zip code his entire life. “His great adventure was moving from one side of Metropolitan Avenue to the other,” Walter joked.

A historian and author by profession, John became a loyal New York Mets fan after the Dodgers left town. He rooted for the Amazins’ “no matter how bad the season was,” his son joked.

John was married to Peg for 57 years and had four children and two grandchildren. “He loved his family,” Walter said, explaining that his father worked with him every year to help organize a fundraiser for Autism Speaks.

“I definitely got my sense of helping others and doing things for others from him,” Walter said. He added that if his father were alive today John would be helping with the Queens Covid Remembrance Day plans.

Those interested in submitting their loved ones to be honored during the event can do so at the Queens Covid Remembrance Day’s website. The site is also available in Spanish.

John and Brian Walter (Courtesy of Brian Walter)

email the author: news@queenspost.com

2 Comments

Click for Comments 
Amy

Thanks for this article. I was able to share it with friends who lost loved ones & it was very meaningful to them.

Reply
Sara Ross

My heart goes out to every family member and friend of a beloved person who died from Covid. This is a virus that is an invisible enemy and, unfortunately, there are plenty of stupid people (even after over 1/2 a million deaths) who have illegal gatherings and in my area of Forest Hills, many idiots who haven’t worn a mask since this started. Too bad we can’t make citizen arrests when we see somebody who is endangering the health of the people around them and the people they come in contact with.

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

ASPCA promotes free and low-cost vet care in Long Island City for National Pet Week

As National Pet Week begins across the country, the ASPCA is spotlighting its newest Community Veterinary Clinic in Long Island City as a model for increasing access to pet care in underserved neighborhoods.

The Queens clinic, which opened in September 2024 near Queens Plaza, is the third ASPCA-operated location in New York City, joining similar facilities in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Since its launch, the clinic has become a vital resource for pet owners in western Queens neighborhoods including Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside and Jackson Heights, offering free and low-cost veterinary care to eligible families.

Jamaica man sentenced to life for brutal triple murder of girlfriend, her son and cousin in 2022: DA

A Jamaica man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Queens Supreme Court on Friday for the 2022 murders of his girlfriend, her son, and her cousin.

Travis Blake, 31, of 155th Street, was convicted by a jury last month of first-degree murder and other counts for the triple slaying in June 2022. The bodies of his victims were discovered with an array of puncture and blunt force wounds in a state of decomposition in their shared Jamaica home.

Hard Rock CEO outlines vendor opportunities for $8B Metropolitan Park casino project

May. 2, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

Hard Rock International Chairman and CEO Jim Allen addressed hundreds of Queens-based vendors and small business owners Thursday morning at the Queens Theatre, outlining how they could play a key role in shaping the proposed $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino and entertainment complex near Citi Field—if the project is awarded one of the three downstate gaming licenses up for grabs later this year.

Masked thieves steal thousands from senior woman in Murray Hill robbery: NYPD

Police from the 111th Precinct in Bayside are looking for two masked purse snatchers who targeted a 70-year-old woman on a residential street in Murray Hill and allegedly grabbed her pocketbook that contained thousands of dollars.

The grand larceny occurred just after 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, as the senior was walking near 45th Avenue and 196th Street, a block west of Francis Lewis Boulevard, just south of Northern Boulevard. The stranger approached her from behind and snatched the pocketbook from her hand and then fled the crime scene in a black Chevrolet traveling westbound toward Utopia Parkway. The woman was not injured during the encounter.

Beyond brunch: Unique ways to celebrate Mother’s Day in Queens

May. 2, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With Mother’s Day just over a week away, there’s still plenty of time to plan something meaningful in Queens to celebrate the special women in your life. While brunch or dinner is always a classic choice, there are also unique and memorable ways to mark the occasion with family and friends. From candle-making workshops and floral arranging classes to beer tastings and hands-on crafting, here are some fun and heartfelt ways to celebrate Mother’s Day right here in the community.