Grieving households be part of Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral foes to mark grim COVID nursing-home debacle: ‘Failure of management’

Dozens of grieving New York households who misplaced aged family members throughout the pandemic joined eight of Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral race foes Sunday to somberly mark the 5 years for the reason that former governor’s controversial order to deal with COVID sufferers in nursing properties.

The members of the family and candidates had been united in sorrow and outrage, excoriating Cuomo for his fateful choice, which by many estimates resulted within the untimely deaths of about 15,000 nursing-home residents, all whereas he touted his management of the Empire State and signed a multimillion-dollar e-book deal.

“My mom’s identify is Anna Martinez. She was a powerful, sort lady who devoted her life to her household,” mentioned Alexa Rivera, who based Voices for Seniors alongside along with her sister, Vivian Zayas, after their mom died following Cuomo’s March 25, 2020, order.

“She deserved dignity and safety and a authorities that valued her life,” Rivera mentioned on the gathering. “However as an alternative she was deserted by the very system that was supposed to guard her when the pandemic struck.

“I stand earlier than you at the moment not simply as a grieving daughter however because the voice for 1000’s of households who misplaced their family members as a result of reckless and lethal selections of Andrew Cuomo,” Rivera mentioned. “My sister and I began this advocacy group looking for solutions, by no means realizing that the very governor our mom voted for was the one who facilitated her loss of life.

“Let’s be clear: This was not simply an accident. It was a failure of management, a betrayal of belief and an avoidable tragedy.”

The temper was rife with emotion exterior the Cobble Hill brownstone the place Norman Arbeeny lived and later died after contracting COVID-19 on the age of 89.

A victims memorial there includes a makeshift “wall” that stretches throughout the quiet block on Amity Avenue and options images of a whole lot of members of the family and letters in tribute to those that died.

The wall was flanked by a hearse and a closed coffin — donated by a church down the road — for the occasion. They had been designed to function a symbolic reminder of the funerals the mourning households by no means bought to have for his or her family members due to the pandemic.

Many mourners held flowers, which they positioned on the coffin earlier than talking on the podium.

Norman’s son, Peter Arbeeny, one of many founders of the We Care Memorial Wall, hosted the occasion that was half funeral service and half remembrance ceremony. Speaker after speaker took the microphone to share recollections and demand Cuomo take some accountability.

“The governor referred to as out individuals speaking about him being an awesome supervisor. Properly, he managed to not apologize,” Peter mentioned. “He managed to gaslight our households quite than handle our losses. He managed to not observe the CDC pointers. He managed to lie concerning the nursing properties. He managed to by no means admit a mistake. He managed to make our misplaced family members a political challenge.”

Peter’s brother, Daniel, remembered their father as a loving man who was vigorous, with a pointy thoughts and nonetheless a protected driver even at his superior age.

“They had been our most cherished individuals, our elders. We wish justice for them,” Daniel mentioned. “We wish the reality.

“We wish authorities to step up and assist us get there in order that we don’t must be unhappy anymore. We don’t have to cover in our hearts what occurred in March, April, Might, June of 2020.

“Keep in mind, no funerals. You couldn’t see your beloved. You’d have, most, 10 individuals,” he mentioned.

Candidates for mayor together with Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Jim Walden, Jumane Williams, Zohran Mamdani, Scott Stringer, Curtis Sliwa and Adrienne Adams had been readily available for the occasion and took turns reflecting on the grim anniversary whereas directing stinging barbs at Cuomo.

“Andrew Cuomo won’t be the following mayor of New York Metropolis. As a result of he won’t come down from the mountain and confront all of you. He’s scared, he’s a coward,” mentioned Stringer, town’s former comptroller.

Council Speaker Adams, who shared the story of shedding her father to COVID in Might 2020, voiced empathy with the group.

“I stand with all of you that had been victimized by a so-called governor that too this present day nonetheless can’t take accountability for what he did to you. I stand right here in solidarity lacking my daddy as his oldest baby, lacking him each single day of my life,” she mentioned.

Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, who has additionally thrown his hat within the ring for mayor, mentioned, “By October [2020], 1000’s of individuals had died in nursing properties after the March 25 order, and there was no accountability for it.

“There was already a e-book deal, there was already marking up the State Division [of Health] report to undercount and misrepresent nursing-home deaths, however there was no accountability. There was no apology. There was no assembly with households or wanting into the eyes of victims.”

In an announcement to The Submit, Cuomo spokesman Wealthy Azzopardi expressed sorrow to the households who misplaced family members and sharply clapped again on the wave of criticism from the previous governor’s opponents.

“Our hearts break for the households of each one who misplaced a liked one — however sadly, because the [Department of Justice Inspector General] confirmed, that ache has been weaponized and politicized for purely electoral functions for years,” he wrote.

“Being Mayor of the best metropolis on the planet is an incredible enterprise that requires expertise, a confirmed observe file of accomplishment and administration capability — traits none of those excessive MAGA or [Democratic Socialists of America] candidates have.”