- Matt Esnayra
LB Mayor Robert Garcia's Mother Dies from the Coronavirus
On Monday via Twitter, Mayor Robert Garcia announced that his mother, Gaby O'Donnell, passed away from complications due to the coronavirus. She was 61 years old.
Two weeks ago, Garcia announced that both his mother and his step-father had been diagnosed with the coronavirus and were both on ventilators at Long Beach Memorial.
"It is with deep sadness that I share that my mother, Gaby O’Donnell, has passed away due to complications from COVID-19. My brother and I are heartbroken. Our mother was the kindest and most compassionate person we’ve ever known." - Robert Garcia
What they're saying:
Mayor Garcia wrote of his mother that "She immigrated from Peru to the United States in search of the American Dream—and she found it." And how "She became a healthcare worker, caring for thousands of patients over her career and assisting nurses and doctors who she loved dearly."
Mayor Garcia and his brother thanked the medical staff who cared for his mother at Long Beach Memorial and that his step-father, Greg O'Donnell, was also diagnosed with COID-19 and is on a ventilator
Long Beach Councilmember Rex Richardson wrote on Twitter, "I am deeply saddened by the news the loss of Mayor @RobertGarciaLB's mother, Ms. Gaby O'Donnell. May the care & love of God, those around them, as well as our Long Beach community provide comfort & peace in the days ahead."