An FDNY firefighter has lost his infant daughter to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials.
Young Jay-Natalie La Santa died Monday — just one week shy of turning 5 months old — from complications with the coronavirus, according to the department’s Hispanic Society fraternal organization and a GoFundMe page.
“One of the worst experiences as a parent is to go through the loss of a child. It is with extreme sorrow to announce the passing of Jay-Natalie La Santa (5 months) daughter of our newest member to the Department and to the FDNY Hispanic Society family, Jerel and Lindsey La Santa,” the society wrote on Instagram.
The parents, Jerel and Lindsey, who could not be immediately reached, plan to have a service for Jay-Natalie on Facebook Live on May 2.
“At first, Jerel and Lindsey were going to have an intimate service for Jay-Natalie. Because there has been such an outpouring of support they would like to extend an invitation to all for Jay’s virtual service,” the GoFundMe page reads.
As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe has raised nearly $25,000 for the baby’s medical expenses.