Benjamin Schaeffer, a 57-year-old Orthodox Jew and conductor for New York City’s Metro Transit Authority (MTA) who thwarted a terror attack on the subway in 2018, died from complications of COVID-19 on April 28.
The Bay Democrats, a Democratic Party club in Brooklyn, broke the news on its Facebook page.
“Bay Democrats club regrets to inform you that our long time member and community activist Ben Schaeffer, [Transport Workers Union] local 100 member and train conductor, passed away today in Maimonides Hospital from COVID-19,” they wrote. “Ben was a great caring person who brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to every club meeting. We will always remember him. Sincere condolences to his family, colleagues and friends.”
https://www.facebook.com/baydemocrats/posts/2259392547689839
Schaeffer’s girlfriend, Lisa Smid, who currently resides in Nashville, Tenn., told the Brooklyn Reporter that she was worried when she couldn’t get a hold of him for seven straight days during Passover. On Yom Tov, she learned that Schaeffer had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and was on a ventilator.
In October 2018, MTA passengers alerted Schaeffer to a man pouring gasoline on the floor of the train Schaeffer was working. Schaeffer immediately ordered people to evacuate the train; the man was eventually arrested. Schaeffer received a Medal for Excellence for his actions.
“I had to act fast,” Schaeffer told NBC New York. “I told everyone just, ‘Get outta the car.’ No pleasantries. No courtesy. It’s an emergency situation, just get outta the car.”
Additionally, in September, the MTA told Schaeffer he needed to provide documentation to show that he needed take time off to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The MTA backtracked when Schaeffer contacted his union.
“This request was received after all leave slots for this day and job title had been distributed, but the supervisor involved made an exception for Mr. Schaeffer and granted him the day off,” the MTA said in a statement at the time. “This issue has been reviewed by NYC Transit supervision and no documentation will be requested in this case of Mr. Schaeffer.”
Schaeffer told News 12 that the MTA’s request for documentation was “degrading, it’s humiliating, it’s uncalled for and I just can’t see anyone ever having to be subjected to this. Not in New York City where we’re the most diverse city, I think, in the world.”
As of this writing, there are around 162,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York City and 12,509 deaths from the virus.
