FRIENDS AND family of a London bus driver who died after a coronavirus infection have paid tribute to him.

Emeka Nyack Ihenacho, 36,  is one of eight London bus drivers to have died from the virus.

Yesterday Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced that ten London Transport workers in total had died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Their deaths prompted calls from unions for more personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves, to be provided for transport workers.

His mother Anne Nyack said she also wanted all public transport workers to be given (PPE) to shield them from the virus. 

But Khan said the advice given from Public Health England was that there is no need for transport workers to have the equipment.

Anne told the Islington Gazette that she was “heartbroken”.

She said: “I’m in so much pain. It’s a pointless loss of a life for doing a job he loved.

‘He was the life and soul of the party’

“He was the life and soul of the party, very popular. I’m now realising how popular he was off all the Facebook tributes.

She added: “He made friends very easily, he would talk to anybody. He always enjoyed spending time with myself and his sister and we would watch movies and Love Island. He was a wicked joker, he had a nickname for everybody he met.”

The father-of-one developed a temperature and had difficulty breathing on March 18.

Two days later he was admitted to Lister Hospital near Stevenage, where he was placed into an induced coma on March 23.

On March 25 Anne said she learned that her son had tested positive for COVID-19. 

He was moved out of an intensive care unit  to a hospital ward after appearing to get better, he went home. 

Sadly,  after arriving home his symptoms worsened and he died shortly afterwards. 

‘This virus doesn’t discriminate’

“If I can get people to understand how serious the virus is, that it doesn’t discriminate whether you’re rich, poor, black or white or think you’re invincible. Read my son’s story. Even travelling on public transport, working on public transport, you’re putting your life at risk.

“My son put his life at risk to do a job he loved and was devoted to. I’m fighting his corner and when all this is over I’m going to fight to make sure that, in the event of anything like this happening again, they [bus drivers] have the right protective clothing.

“I will team up with Unite and fight for public workers.”

Michael Rodrigues, a childhood friend of Ihenacho, also paid tribute.

He told the Camden New Journal he wanted people to think about the “sacrifice” that key workers the transport sector making to keep the country moving during the coronavirus crisis.

‘People need to stay at home’

“I want people to remember him and think about the sacrifice he has made,” he said. “I want to get it out there that this is killing people. People need to stay at home. It is no way to go.

“He was just doing his job, to provide for his family. It’s the only reason he was out there and people should remember that.”

Speaking about the employees who died Khan said: “They are in my thoughts and prayers, and my condolences to their families. It reminds us actually, one of the heroic frontline workers are transport workers.

He was just doing his job, to provide for his family. It’s the only reason he was out there and people should remember that

Michael Rodrigues, friend

“We’ve got 25,000 bus drivers, more than 25,000 people who work for Transport for London, doing their best to keep public transport running for those essential key workers that need public transport to get from home to work and back home again.”

Immense sadness

A Metroline spokesman said: “It is with immense sadness that we can confirm that three of our colleagues have passed away after contracting coronavirus.

“We are devastated by this loss and we offer our support and condolences to the families at this incredibly difficult time.

“The safety of our employees has always been our priority and we continue to do everything we can to make sure our workforce is as protected and as safe as possible during this unprecedented time.”