When Corey Starr saw the parade of cars coming up his North Omaha street Saturday, he started clapping.
After all, the neighbors down the street were having a kids party outside. “Birthday,” he thought? “Let’s celebrate, too.”
But surprise! The parade was for him.
Neighbors wanted to let the Omaha funeral director, who spent two weeks helping funeral homes in the beleaguered Queens area of New York City, know that they were grateful for his service and happy he made it home safely and healthy. New York is the epicenter of U.S. cases and Queens is one of the state’s hot spots. More than 24,000 people have died in New York of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Starr, who lives in the Minne Lusa neighborhood, was tested for COVID-19 after he got home and was cleared.
Starr, 40, is funeral director at Neptune Cremation Service in Ralston, a branch of a Florida-based company that specializes in cremations.
“I have the best neighbors,” he said turning to his wife, Sarah, who had coaxed him outside for the surprise parade.
“I’ll admit, I teared up a bit after everyone left,” he said afterward.
The parade was organized by Phylis Caniglia Andrews, who has lived in the neighborhood for 26 years.
“It’s a fantastic thing that he did, I’m just grateful he decided to do it — and came back safe and sound,” she said, adding that others helped make the parade a success.
The Starrs share a blended family of six kids, and Corey Starr kept in touch via video with his family while he was gone, learning to play computer games with the kids over Zoom.
Neighbor Patty Epstein brought a bouquet of flowers for Starr’s wife, Sarah, because she wanted to thank her, too.
“I wanted to show appreciation that Corey gave of his time, and of his family’s time away from them.”
April photos: Nebraska faces coronavirus
Marcus Butler handles a to-go order Friday at Dante Pizzeria. Many business owners in the Omaha area went into planning mode after Gov. Ricketts announced a series of new directed health measures that will allow restaurants, barbershops, tattoo parlors, salons and massage therapists to reopen on a limited basis.
Ella Pelletier and Matt Jones, both Papillion-La Vista South seniors, watch as the school’s stadium is lit up as part of the “Be the Light” campaign on Wednesday. Schools across Nebraska have turned on their stadium lights at 20:20 to honor the class of 2020 that will not be able to have prom or graduations.
Fireworks erupt during a drive-in fireworks show at Werner Park on Saturday, April 18. The park would have hosted a minor league baseball game that day, but the start of the season has been postponed because of the coronavirus. Thousands watched the fireworks from the stadium's parking lots and surrounding areas.
People watch fireworks during a drive-in fireworks show at Werner Park on Saturday, April 18. The park would have hosted a minor league baseball game that day, but the start of the season has been postponed because of the coronavirus. Thousands watched the fireworks from the stadium's parking lots and surrounding areas.
Snow falls at a drive-up mobile food pantry run by the Food Bank off the Heartland and Millard Public Schools in Millard on Thursday. The mobile pantry more than doubled the number of packages of fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, potatoes and pantry staples they normally give out each month in anticipation of increased need due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Snow falls at a drive-up mobile food pantry run by the Food Bank off the Heartland and Millard Public Schools in Millard on Thursday. The mobile pantry more than doubled the number of packages of fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, potatoes and pantry staples they normally give out each month in anticipation of increased need due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Terri Connell loads a vehicle at a drive-up mobile food pantry run by the Food Bank off the Heartland and Millard Public Schools as snow falls in Millard on Thursday. The mobile pantry more than doubled the number of packages of fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, potatoes and pantry staples they normally give out each month in anticipation of increased need due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Hank, a Labrador retriever, does not respect social distancing and gives Morgan Henderson, the owner of Dirty Doodles, a kiss while being groomed at Dirty Doodles in Omaha. The dog grooming service has moved work stations outside so employees can remain six feet apart during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Easter Bunny waves to families as they drive by at the Hy-Vee near 144th and Stony Brook Blvd. in Omaha on Saturday, April 4, 2020. The grocery store usually hosts an Easter egg hunt, but went with a drive-thru Easter Bunny visit this year to encourage social distancing in response to the novel coronavirus.