Veronica Fletcher's life goal was to raise her three children alongside her husband of 16 years, Joseph Fletcher, a man she says was proud to be a father that he would wear clothing with his kids’ faces on them. But COVID-19 stole her partner in life.

“Losing him is losing a part of me physically and it’s losing my future,” she said.

What You Need To Know

  • 4,730 New York City children lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 from March 2020 through Dec. 2021, according to the Citizens Committee for Children

  • Households are also dealing with loss of income, housing instability and a rise in behavioral health needs due to the trauma of losing a parent

  • Widow of MTA worker who died of COVID-19 says more resources, support needed for impacted families

Fletcher worked for the MTA for over 17 years. He was based at the Flatbush Bus Depot. He became very sick at the start of the pandemic. On April 11, 2020, ten days after going on a respirator, Joseph passed away. He was 60-years-old. His wife and children could not give him a funeral because of the COVID-19 restrictions. Because they had been exposed, they could not even comfort each other with hugs.

“I know that he’s in a better place now and he has no more pain,” Madison Fletcher said, about her father. 

Madison, 10, and her brothers, Joshua, 16, and Zachary, 13, are not alone. According to this year’s report by the Citizens Committee for Children called Keeping Track of New York City’s Children, 4,730 New York City children lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 from March 2020 through Dec. 2021. The committee, which uses research to advocate for public resources for children, says besides loss of life, those households are also dealing with loss of income, housing instability and a rise in behavioral health needs because of the trauma of losing a parent.

Fletcher’s husband was the sole breadwinner. After he died, she had to visit food pantries to keep food on the table. She’s leaning on support from her church and has met other widows and widowers on a Facebook group. She’s also trying her best to keep her children connected to their father.

“We’ve gone to the grave and made a little heart around the grave and planted flowers,” Zachary Fletcher said. 

“When I was younger, I’d go somewhere with him when he had to work, but I didn’t really take it as I should’ve and paid attention and actually took it as a learning experience. After he died, I understood how he was,” Joshua Fletcher said. The 16-year-old is graduating high school two years early. His father is not alive to see achievement.

“If the United States was a heart, imagine how many holes there are in that heart for those missing lives and then multiply those lives who are still here, living with that loss,” said Veronica Fletcher.

Fletcher lost her own mother at a very young age. She says that awful experience prepared her to guide her children.

The family plans to launch a podcast to help other grieving families.