PHOENIX — The City of Phoenix lost two first responders to COVID-19 over a three-day period.
On Monday, Phoenix firefighter paramedic Miguel Angulo died after a long battle with COVID-19.
And then on Friday, veteran Phoenix Police Sgt. Tom Craig died from COVID-19, and it's the second COVID death in that department.
“He was second-to-none, as a police officer and as a friend,” said David Khalaj, a longtime friend of Craig. “I never knew him to have a bad day. He was always happy.”
Craig leaves behind a wife and four adult children, Khalaj said. A GoFundMe account was set up to help with funeral expenses.
According to the Phoenix Fire Department, Angulo was a 15-year veteran who spent most of his career at station 25 in Maryvale.
“Miguel was a dedicated public servant and family man who loved serving his community,” the department said in the news release. “He had a big personality and an even bigger heart.
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, at least 378 law enforcement officers in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. That’s more than twice the number of law enforcement killed in the line of duty from shootings and car accidents combined, as reported by the FBI.
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