The Queens assistant principal stricken with swine flu succumbed to the deadly virus today, the first person to die in the city from the disease, hospital officials said.
The sick man, Mitchell Wiener, 55, an assistant principal at IS 238 in Jamaica Estates, first fell ill more than a week ago, but didn’t seek help at the hospital until his symptoms became severe early Wednesday morning.
Since that time, he’s been in a medically induced coma, on a ventilator.
Just hours before his death, his wife, Bonnie, said there were hopeful signs.
Mitchell Wiener, Brooklyn born and a Sheepshead Bay High School graduate, moved shortly after his marriage into the Linden Hills neighborhood.
He was licensed as a math teacher in September 1978 and taught the subject at IS 238 until 2007, when he became an assistant principal.
He and his wife also were active members of Garden Jewish Center until a few years ago, Rabbi Martin Cooper said. Mitchell Wiener served on the synagogue’s board of directors and as treasurer in the late 1990s.
“He has a very warm personality,” Cooper said. “He is very well-liked in the congregation.”
(Source: NY Post / Newsday)
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6 Responses
Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes.
boruch dayan emes.
if anything, it highlights the importance to pay attention to what medical attention one should apply if sick ; and to WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER UPON COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE CONTACT WITH OTHERS.
According to CNN, “Rubin [a Flushing Hospital Spokesman] would not comment on whether Weiner had pre-existing medical conditions or whether the virus strain — commonly known as swine flu — played a role in his death.”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/17/ny.flu.death/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
בד”ה
Baruch Dayan H’Emes.
That’s right. Chant: “Baruch Dayan H’Emes” over and over again everybody (oh yes, and don’t forget to wash your hands) as if that’s all the Ribbono Shel Olam wants from us.
As I wrote in my comment on the previous story about the LA earthquake, does anyone think it a coincidence that, out of 8 million people, the very first person to die of swine flu in NYC was Jewish?
Does anyone think it a coincidence that, at this time in history, our society is turning into a modern day S’dom as state after state sanctions toieva marriages? The malachim didn’t tell Avraham Avinu to go to S’dom and file a protest with the local legislature. As Hashem’s messengers they went personally to rescue Avraham’s family from the sewer of S’dom and get them out!
Hashem’s messages are coming fast and furious, yet we sit here frozen in our goldena medina –with our golus mentality– instead of making plans to initiate the final geula by going back home.
Remember that the meraglim were the leaders of the generation, and yet they disparaged Klal Yisrael (after Matan Torah) from leaving the midbar to enter the Land. I pray that our leaders of today will learn from the mistake of the past, and that after Shavuos (when we receive the Torah again), they finally blow the shofar to begin the geula and call for massive Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael.