Just days after Olga Quiroga, a veteran Chicago Public Schools teacher, died after a three-week-long battle with COVID-19, the beloved teacher and mother is being remembered as a fighter until the very end.
Quiroga most recently taught first grade at Funston Elementary in Logan Square, and according to her family, came down with cold-like symptoms after making several visits to the school.
"She was there for virtual training," her daughter Giovanna Quiroga recounted. "That Friday she came home and said she was tired."
Along with teaching, the dedicated educator was a beloved wife and mother of three daughters.
"She was amazing, and she is amazing. Always will be," Giovanna Quiroga said. "My mom - she was truly my best friend."
Olga Quiroga died on Oct. 1, one day after her 58th birthday. While it's not for certain, the teacher's family believes she may have contracted the virus at school.
In a statement, the Chicago Teachers Union said Olga Quiroga had "tremendous love and high expectations for her students, who knew she cared deeply for them and was committed to their success." And as a Mexican immigrant, the CTU said, Olga Quiroga "understood the plight of her immigrant student's families."
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CPS also issued a statement of its own, saying its hearts are heavy upon learning of the loss of a dedicated member of its community.
The district added that through contact tracing, one direct contact of the teacher's was identified and was placed in quarantine. No other cases at Funston Elementary have been reported.
