BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was an emotional scene today on Jefferson Avenue. Tears, hugs, laughter, all geared toward one person.
Dr. Jonathan Daniels.
Dr. Daniels was many things. A father, a husband, and as most of Buffalo knew him, a pediatrician who genuinely cared. Steve Swift, a colleague of Daniels, said the exact same thing.
“He was so committed to improving the health care of young people in Buffalo,” Swift said.
On Thursday, hundreds of people showed up to Urban Family Practice at Jefferson Avenue to honor the lives of Daniels and his two daughters. After a fire ripped through their Huntington Avenue home on the 4th of July, it changed everyone's life in Buffalo.
“He was an incredibly kind individual and an incredibly thoughtful person. He was so dedicated to his community,” Swift said.
One of his daughters, Jillian, wasn't home during the fire and survived. She's vowing to make sure people all over the area remember the impact not only her dad had, but also her sisters, Jordan and Jensen.
“As we remember a great man, we need to remember that there are two great women too,” Daniels said.
Because they helped Jillian become the person she is today. Jordan, an educator at Buffalo Collegiate Charter School, and Jensen, and employee at the Erie County Department of Health. Like their father, these are just genuinely good people.
“My dad and my sisters taught me how to walk with integrity,” Daniels said.
And one of the main messages of the day was to remember to always band together, even in times of pain. Across the street from the Tops Supermarket on Jefferson, Jillian wants people to love their families while they're here and always walk together.
“Please make sure you are all taking care of each other. Mutual aid, direct giving. Take care of yourselves because I am not the only one who lost a father and sisters,” Daniels said.
If you want to donate as the Daniels family continues to recover from this tragedy, you can click here for their GoFundMe.
