SWAMPSCOTT, MASS. (WHDH) - The town of Swampscott is coping with shock and sadness after a beloved elementary school teacher died due to complications caused by the flu.
Phyllis Gotlib, 68, was teaching music at the town’s Hadley and Clarke elementary schools last week. She fell ill over the weekend, called in sick on Monday and Tuesday and died suddenly on Wednesday.
“She was just so charismatic and her smile lit up the room every time you saw her. It’s sad she’s gone,” Melissa Baran said.
Two of Baran’s three children were in Gotlib’s music classes and sang in the chorus for her.
On Thursday morning, Swampscott Superintendent Pamela Angelakis had both schools were Gotlib worked thoroughly cleaned.
Grief counselors were in place for when students arrived at school. Parents received a letter from school officials that read:
“Phyllis was both a kind and generous colleague, always greeting you with a smile and a kind word. She was a bright light, with a great sense of humor, a passion for music and her students. She will be sorely missed,” Angelakis said.
Gotlib’s passing is the latest in a string of flu-related deaths. Experts says it’s been a tough year for the flu.
The Center for Disease Control reports that since September, 10 people have died from the flu in New Hampshire and seven people in Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, it’s too difficult to pinpoint right now.
“There’s no question this is a bad flu season, a bit of an earlier flu season than usual,” said Dr. Paul Biddinger, of Massachusetts General Hospital.
Doctors say they started seeing the flu in patients in October, and while most people can just stay home, hydrate, wash their hands and cover their mouths, certain symptoms can arise, prompting the need for medical attention.
“If you have shortness of breath, if your thoughts are confused, if your sleepy, if you can’t get hydrated, those are some of the warning signs that you should see a doctor,” said Biddinger.
The loss of Gotlib brings it all too close to home. Her family was only able to offer these few words:
“We are shocked and saddened and can’t express how much we’ll miss her,” read a statement issued to 7News.
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