It was a heartbreaking truth. Families of people who died during the height of the coronavirus couldn’t gather to mourn with each other. Now that the city is slowly reopening, Saint Barnabas Hospital paused Wednesday to remember the sacrifices made by its staff during the pandemic, including one of its surgeons. 

What You Need To Know


  • Saint Barnabas Hospital paused Wednesday to remember the five staff members who died from COVID-19 during the pandemic, including one of its surgeons.

  • Dr. Ronald Verrier, a surgeon and director of the residency program, died from COVID-19 on April 8th at the age of 59.

  • Colleagues also remembered nurses Corazon Espinosa and Grace Laureta, EKG Technician Nelson Then, and IT staffer Warren Bates. But this being a celebration of doctors at Saint Barnabas, much of the focus was on Dr. Ronald Verrier.

The annual ritual celebrates doctors and their life saving contributions to the community. This year’s event was made poignant by a remembrance of five staff members cut down by the coronavirus.

Among them was Dr. Ronald Verrier, or “RV” as his colleagues affectionately called him, a surgeon and director of the residency program. He died from COVID-19 on April 8th at the age of 59.


“The reality of what’s happening really hits you hard when you lose one of your own,” said Dr. Ernest Patti, senior attending emergency medicine physician. 

Dr. Verrier fell ill in March but continued to work from home, refusing to take a hospital bed he said someone else needed. He leaves behind three children and his wife, Dr. Joanne Saint Paul Verrier, who accepted a posthumous award on his behalf.

“It’s amazing. Everybody sings the same song about him. It’s not - you know, after someone dies we say good things about them. But if everyone is singing the same song, it’s really true,” said Saint Paul Verrier.
 


Colleagues also remembered nurses Corazon Espinosa and Grace Laureta, EKG Technician Nelson Then, and IT staffer Warren Bates. But this being a celebration of doctors at Saint Barnabas, much of the focus was on Verrier, who was called a gentle giant, for his dedication and commitment to his profession, and dedication to and love for his family.

“He never missed anything for the whole family,” said his sister, Pascale Verrier. “In January, he went all the way to Haiti just for three days to celebrate my aunt’s 100th birthday.”

“When I think the way he was passionate about his work and his patients, I realize how most of us should think about the real reason we get into this field. It’s to make people feel better,” said Saint Paul Verrier. 

“And to see his family here now and the Saint Barnabas family all here gathered reminiscing about him brings some solace but it’s also a partial reminder that we will never get these folks back,” Patti said.  

The Verrier family is starting a foundation to help young people pursue careers in medicine in Dr. Ronald Verrier’s memory.