Family, friends mourn the loss of Rockland front-line worker who lost her battle with COVID-19

Petal Williams Richards was a respiratory therapist at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. The 57-year-old went to work on April 5 and never returned home.

News 12 Staff

May 15, 2020, 10:51 PM

Updated 1,441 days ago

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Family and friends are mourning the loss of a beloved New City front-line worker who lost her battle with COVID-19.
Michael Richards lost his wife, Petal Williams Richards, to the coronavirus a week ago. Petal was a respiratory therapist at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. The 57-year-old went to work on April 5 and never returned home. It was the last time her husband, who had also tested positive for COVID-19, saw her in person.
"I just waived and said bye and that was it, but I watched her drive down the street," says Michael.
Petal was admitted to the emergency room where she worked with coronavirus symptoms. She died about four weeks later. Her death happened just one day before the funeral for her own mother, who also died from coronavirus.
Petal's 10-year-old daughter is now left without a mother and grandmother.
Petal's family and friends say she was a bubbly, beautiful person who was very helpful and went out of her way for people.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Petal's family to help with the cost of funeral arrangements.
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