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Selfless doctor who suspended his retirement to save COVID-19 patients dies of the disease

A 62-year-old medical doctor who refused to go on his retirement because he couldn’t watch and do nothing while lives are lost to the dreaded coronavirus pandemic has died after contracting the virus.
Doctor who suspended his retirement to save coronavirus patients dies of the disease
Doctor who suspended his retirement to save coronavirus patients dies of the disease

Reports say James Mahoney, a New York doctor delayed his retirement to help lead his hospital's response to the coronavirus pandemic but he has become a victim of the pandemic.

Before his sad death, he reportedly worked as a pulmonary and critical care physician at the University Hospital of Brooklyn during the day and Kings County Hospital Center at night. 

According to Fox News, the doctor who worked tirelessly to treat coronavirus patients succumbed to the disease on Monday, April 27. 

His family and colleagues pleaded with him to retire as they were concerned that his age could put him at a higher risk for severe illness, but the physician refused as he could not watch and do nothing. Now, he has died as a martyr and his colleagues have been sharing their tributes. 

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“He was handling patients and codes (patients needing intensive intervention) every five to 10 minutes. He was doing everything he could," said Purna Atluri, a gastroenterologist who worked with Mahoney for more than two decades.

Neurologist and one of Mahoney’s colleagues, Julien Cavanagh, told The Guardian: “He’s one of our legends — he’s one of our giants." 

May his soul rest in peace.

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