Cuomo Looks Back At '111 Days Of Hell' During Final Briefing

NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his last novel coronavirus press briefing Friday, 111 days after the deadly virus began its decent into our city, and three days before it takes a large step toward reopening.

"After 62 years, when I thought I had seen it all, I learned something new," Cuomo said in the somber address, broadcast from his New York City office.

"No matter how dark the day, love brings the light."

Cuomo eschewed his iconic powerpoint briefing for a pre-taped, video montage that put the focus on the New Yorkers whose sacrifices the governor credited with slowing the spread of COVID-19.

New York City has made its sacrifices.

We lost more than 22,000 of our citizens, city records show.

We PAUSED.

New York City hospital workers rushed to treat roughly 208,000 New Yorkers who contracted the disease, sometimes without gowns, without masks, without vital equipment they needed to keep their patients alive.

We beat back the virus in overwhelmed hospitals that saw 13 patients die in a single day.

We lost doctors who changed the trajectory of the future of medicine and the people who used to smile at us on our way to work.

In The Bronx, we celebrated victories with a city anthem that echoed through the corridors, "Let's hear it for New York."

New York City teachers balanced their kids on their laps as they taught our students, who grappled with online learning in their homes, some not even fitted with internet connections.

New York City fashionistas made masks as quickly as they possibly could.

New York City children lost their parents in nursing homes, oftentimes without ever having the chance to say goodbye.

We did not stop doing drag, or blowing out the candles on our birthday cakes, or posting our angry, weird New York City moments to Twitter.

With ventilators helping us breathe, we shook our heads to show we were not afraid.

We walked away from our jobs even though it meant millions could go hungry and tens of thousands risked losing their homes.

We lost the bars where our names were known.

We clapped, we pounded piano keys, and we cheered and cheered for our essential workers.

We fought for our inmates in Rikers Island and our citizens without homes.

Somehow, we cleaned the subways.

New Yorkers rallied for George Floyd, for Breonna Taylor, for Eric Garner, and passed anti-chokehold legislation in his name.

"Over the past three months, we have done the impossible," Cuomo told New York. "And don't forget, tomorrow is Saturday."

Photo credits:

Top Left: Photo courtesy of Yamilet Gomez. Top Center: Photo courtesy of Charlene Simon. Top Right: Courtesy of City Council Member Francisco Moya. Middle Left: Photos provided by CustomSashes.com and Fashion to the Frontline. Middle Center: Photo by Matt Troutman. Middle Right: Photos courtesy of Iris Gomez. Bottom Left: Photo courtesy of Tom Montgomery. Bottom Center: Photos courtesy of Marti Gould Cummings; Courtesy of Merrie Cherry; Courtesy of Miz Jade. Bottom Right: Photo by Matt Troutman.