Dr. Anthony Fauci honored as ‘Brooklyn COVID Hero’
Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour on Flickr
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, was honored by his hometown borough this week for his work throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Tuesday named Fauci, who grew up in Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights, a “COVID-19 Hero,” for helping others amid the health crisis.
Dr. Fauci’s family took over Coppola’s Pharmacy at 8302 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights and lived on the second floor of the building. Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Records and Information Services (left); Street view of the building, which has been altered (right); Map data @ 2020 Google
Fauci accepted the honor via Zoom during a ceremony on Tuesday at Brooklyn Borough Hall, along with the dozens of other Brooklynites named COVID Heroes. “I’m particularly proud and happy to be joined by the other Brooklyn heroes who are standing behind you on the steps,” Fauci said. “I really feel very, very good about being part of that group.”
“I really feel that whenever people ask me how I put up with all the stuff that goes on in Washington, I have two words for them: It’s called Brooklyn strong,” Fauci said.
“The vaccine is on its way, folks. So hang in there, hang tough. We’re going to get over this together,” he added, as the crowd cheered in response. Earlier this week, Pfizer announced the news about an experimental COVID-19 vaccine found to be 90 percent effective.
Fauci was born and raised in Bensonhurst and later lived in Dyker Heights, where his father owned a pharmacy. He currently serves as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and has been a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force since January.
“On behalf of all Brooklynites, we proudly thank Dr. Anthony Fauci and more than 180 incredible #COVIDHeroes who have represented the best of our borough amid the worst of the pandemic,” Adams tweeted on Tuesday. “Dr. Fauci, this is one president who truly loves you.”
In September, Adams honored more than 80 Brooklynites as COVID-19 Heroes, including the Brooklyn chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Pakistani American Youth Society, Flatbush Food Co-Op, and 12-year old student Leah Pavlov who used her allowance and birthday money to buy groceries and prepare lunches for frontline workers at NYC Health + Hospitals in Coney Island.
