Rita Fusco-Jackson
A religious education teacher from Freehold has been identified as New Jersey’s second
coronavirus death.
Rita Fusco-Jackson, who was in her 50s and lived in Freehold, died on Thursday, officials
said this weekend. The Co-Catherdral of St. Robert Bellarmine, based in Freehold, confirmed her name Sunday afternoon.
Her death is connected to
the death of John Brennan, a horse trainer who lived in Little Ferry. Brennan was the first New Jersey resident to die from COVID-19. Nationally,
the coronavirus has killed 62 people.
State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said one of Fusco-Jackson’s siblings is friends with Brennan, and the virus likely spread through a family gathering. Several other people at that gathering also tested positive for the virus, officials said.
Fusco-Jackson’s family was also involved in harness horse racing, and she was one of 11 children, an
obituary for her father says. She was both a parishioner and a teacher in the church’s confirmation program, the church said.
“I ask that every member of the parish please remember the Fusco-Jackson family in their prayers as they deal with the loss of Rita and for all who have been impacted by COVID-19 here in the parish and throughout the nation,” the church
said in a Facebook post.
Another family member of Fusco-Jackson’s is a fifth grade religious education teacher at the church during the Tuesday evening service, and two younger family members are students, the church said. All three are self-quarantined and were not in class this week, the church said.
New Jersey’s 2nd coronavirus death ID’ed as religious education teacher
