A new street sign was unveiled Saturday at the intersection of 57th Street and 4th Avenue in Sunset Park.
The street is co-named after Sandra Santos-Vizcaino, who was the first New York City public school teacher to die of COVID-19.
“The craziest thing to me is that as amazing as my mother was. I never would have imagined an honor like this,” her son Victor Luis said with tears.
Santos-Vizcaino, 54, moved to Sunset Park from the Dominican Republic at 11 years old.
She started working with the city's Department of Education in 1995 and dedicated 25 years as an educator.
After listing her accomplishes in life at the ceremony Saturday, her daughter, Viviana, spoke about how proud she is of her mother.
“She built a wonderful life. I only wish that it had been softer and longer, with more things just handed to her because she deserved it. Only because of her selflessness,” she said.
At the time of Santos-Vizcaino’s death on March 31, 2020, she was a third grade dual language teacher at P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights.
She was also well known in the community for giving back through local organizations and her church.
Santos-Vizcaino’s friend and colleague, Cynthia Felix Jeffrey, was one people who lead efforts for the sign.
“To remain forever in the hearts of those that know her and now in the hearts of those that don’t know her. They’ll get to know about her,” Jeffrey said.
City Councilmember Alexa Aviles was among several supporters that helped made the sign a reality.
“It’s important to honor the people in your community who give so much so compassionately so generously,” Aviles said.
It’s a special honor that is visible on the block where Santos-Vizcaino lived for over two decades.
“If I know anything, it’s that things like this don’t happen when you’re planning for them. They happen when you every day are just focusing on a goal. And her goal was making the world a better place,” Luis said.