Daughter Of Brooklyn Doctor Who Died Of Coronavirus Angry About The Years 'Stolen From Us Because Of This Virus'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The coronavirus continues to take our doctors and nurses.
Our front line workers are sacrificing their lives to protect others. Let us never forget with every coronavirus death, there is a family mourning their loss.
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Dr. David Wolin was a radiologist at the hard-hit Brooklyn Hospital Center.
"He was the hardest working person that I'd ever met. He absolutely loved being a doctor," Wolin's daughter, Helena, told CBS2's Chris Wragge. "He just really loved his patients and his colleagues and really loved what he did."
On the same day his hospital made front page headlines as the epicenter of the epidemic, Wolin was laid to rest.
"I really have been so angry and sad about the 20-plus years that were stolen from us because of this horrible virus," Helena said.
Helena said her dad started feeling symptoms on March 21. Four days later, he started feeling better. He texted to say, "Bad colds but not coronavirus symptoms."
"He thought he could kind of tough it out, similar to how he approached a lot of things, just being really strong and tough," Helena said.
Wolin opted against getting tested for COVID-19 out of an obligation to his patients, who he felt were more deserving of the limited supply of tests.
Five days later, Wolin collapsed at his home. Helena desperately tried to find out what was happening.
"The doorman at the building said please call [Wolin's wife], she needs to tell you, and we said we've been trying, we can't reach her, what's going on, where are they taking my dad. That's when he unfortunately told us that he had passed at home," Helena said.
That night, Helena's stepmom -- Wolin's wife, Susan -- was taken to the hospital. After spending 24 hours in a hallway waiting for an available bed, she was admitted to Montefiore in Nyack, where she is currently on a ventilator.
"We've been unable to communicate with her since Friday," Helena said.
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Susan missed her husband's funeral. Only Helena and her husband were permitted to attend.
"I'll be honest, it's been a total nightmare," Helena said. "To be unable to see people in person has been really, really hard."
For now, until a proper celebration is planned, Helena and her family have a wedding celebration to remember.
"It means so much, so I've been watching that video a lot, just thinking about happier times, and just being so grateful that we were able to have that time together," Helena said.
