QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) — A beloved crossing guard was honored with a candlelight vigil Monday evening at the spot in Queens where she lost her life protecting small children on their way to school.
“She’s my angel,” said Barbara, the daughter of 63-year-old crossing guard Krystyna Naprawa. “She’s my forever angel.”
More than 100 people gathered at the intersection where Naprawa was killed Friday morning by a dump truck making a right turn from Woodhaven Boulevard to Atlantic Avenue. She had just helped several people across the street.
“Krystyna wanted to make sure those babies got across the street in a safe way,” Mayor Eric Adams told the crowd at the vigil. “Words cannot take away the pain.”
The crossing guard was remembered as a woman who loved the job she’d done since 2010.
“Such a very nice lady,” said Nazmoun Stoll, a retired crossing guard. “It is so sad. I worked with her. She was very soft-spoken. She was great.”
The 39-year-old driver stayed at the scene after the crash and was given a desk appearance ticket for motor vehicle failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to use due care.
Shaun Francois, the crossing guard union president, said the penalty was not enough.
“That’s disgusting,” Francois said. “She was a human being doing her job.”
The union is calling for more crossing guards at the intersection, instead of just one, to prevent another tragedy from happening again.
