New Jersey
For almost 30 years, they were inseparable — the devoted mom and the son whose world revolved around her. Death, it turned out, would be no different. Carolyn Martins-Reitz died of the coronavirus last month, and just over a week later, so did Thomas Martins.
“I find some peace knowing that he’s with her,” said Joni Lewin, who’s Martins-Reitz’s lifelong best friend and Martins’ godmother.
Martins-Reitz, 55, of Kearny, New Jersey, was the primary caretaker for her nearly 30-year-old son, who had Down syndrome. They both started struggling with symptoms of the virus toward the end of March, said Rudolph Reitz, Martins-Reitz’s husband and Martins’ stepfather.
He believes Martins-Reitz being taken to the hospital may have worsened his stepson’s condition. “What we believe accelerated his illness to the point of pneumonia was the unannounced departure of his mother with the house full of paramedics,” Reitz said. “That was pretty traumatic for him to watch his mother be taken away.” Martins-Reitz — who had underlying health issues, according to her husband — died at a hospital on March 28; Martins followed on April 6, his 30th birthday. Martins-Reitz, a talented artist who worked part time for the Archdiocese of Newark, was “one of the smartest, kindest, gentlest” people, said Reitz, her husband of 22 years. She was dedicated to her children — Thomas and his younger sister, Sharon Reitz — and to ensuring her son had every opportunity to thrive.
Lewin recalled how she and Martins-Reitz became instant friends when they met as young girls.
“We were inseparable for many, many years,” she said. She was there as Martins-Reitz advocated for her son to get into the learning program where she felt he would be happiest.
“When you have a child with Down syndrome, you always want to make sure your child gets every opportunity that they possibly can — she was a force in that area,” Lewin said. “She just loved him dearly.”
Martins was like his mother, Lewin said, “he developed her persona of being so kind and welcoming.”
He “just loved life, he loved people,” Reitz said, adding that his stepson loved “telling everyone about movies.” Lewin said her godson was “just a lovely light to be around, he had a very positive energy.—AP
