Daily Voice: COVID-19: Stamford Teacher Cares For Student’s Newborn Brother As His Family Battles Virus
By Kathy Reakes
Sometimes it really does take a village to make something good happen and that’s what occurred when a teacher in Fairfield County, on the spur of a moment, said the word “yes,” and helped a family in desperate need during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
The simple yes uttered by Luciana Machado Lira, 42, not only changed the life of one of her students but hers as well.
The whole thing began when Luciana, a teacher at Hart Magnet Elementary School in Stamford, received a call from the mother of 7-year-old Junior, one of her students, who had recently moved from Guatemala.
The mother, Zully, “was clearly distressed and explained she was calling from the hospital,” said Joy Colon on Facebook.
She told Luciana she was going into labor and had no one else to call and that her husband, Marvin, did not understand or write English.
Then she asked Luciana if she could come to the hospital. She had just been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was about to deliver a premature baby by cesarean section.
Not really knowing the family but through her work with Junior, Luciana was stunned to learn she had been listed as the family’s emergency contact.
She rushed to the hospital where she met with Marvin, who told her he thought he and Junior were probably COVID-19 positive too.
According to Marisela Esposito, president of The Tiny Miracles Foundation for premature babies, Luciana then convinced doctors to test the father and son who both came back positive.
The father asked Luciana to take the new baby home with her until Zully, who was intubated and very ill, could come and he and his stepson didn’t test positive for the virus.
And Luciana did just that.
The baby has been staying with her family, including her husband and her son, since he left the hospital on Wednesday, April 8.
Luckily, she is teaching online during the day while caring for baby Neysel and her own family and her other students.
Going a step further, Luciana was able to put Marvin in contact with Esposito, who took over caring for the two, making sure they had food and clothing, and working with the foundation, that is covering their living expenses and bills.
“Luciana is an amazing human being,” Esposito said. “She is truly selfless.”
Esposito has been busy too, making sure the family has what they need and keeping in contact with Luciana as she cares for the child.
Zully is recovering but has a long and difficult road ahead of her before she is well, Esposito said.
She has been released from the hospital but is unable to care for the child.
Marvin and Junior are hoping to be tested again soon and once they receive two clean tests, baby Neysel will be able to join the family.
“It really is a once-in-a-lifetime story,” said Esposito.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with the challenges ahead.
