PEABODY — “This has been one of the most challenging years I can ever remember,” said City Councilor-at-Large Tom Rossignoll.
Four Peabody residents with deep ties to the school community tragically, and unexpectedly, lost their lives in the latter part of 2019.
It all started on August 31 when Evelyn Pinto,48, mother of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School senior Bianca and her freshman brother, Will Pinto, was killed. Pinto’s husband William Pinto was seriously injured when their automobile was struck head on by a wrong-way driver on Route 1 in Saugus.
Just one day after Pinto’s services, the football community honored her memory at the Tanners opening game of the 2019 season, with Bianca and Will serving as honorary captains. The team came together and played its best football of the year en route to a 52-0 victory over Salem. The final touchdown of the game was fittingly scored by Will, bringing tears to the eyes of nearly everyone in attendance.
While the city continued to cope, things went from bad to worse in a hurry in late November with three more unexpected and tragic deaths occurring in a span of just 10 days.
“It’s just devastating on so many levels and fronts and has been so hard to deal with,” said School Committee member Beverly Griffin-Dunne. “I give credit to the staff and schools for managing somehow to keep things going.”
On Nov. 20, 13-year-old Jackson Frechette was killed on Route 114 near the Walgreens Plaza. He was attempting to cross the road on his bicycle when he was struck and killed by a car driven by a 19-year-old Peabody man.
The day after Thanksgiving, the city was stunned to learn of the sudden death of School Superintendent Cara Murtagh. Only 44 years old, Murtagh, just days before her death was full of life working the crowd with the cheerleaders at a Peabody football game.
“Cara was so full of fun and energy and laughter every day of her life,” Rossignoll said. “There she was, leading the band and waving her pom-poms. She said, `Hey, I am getting good at this.’ She was at the high school Addams Family play the week before. Last year when the girls basketball team was making its run in the playoffs, she was at every game. I remember the fans’ theme of one game was neon, and there was Cara, all dressed in neon.”
Murtagh worked in Peabody schools for 23 years, starting as a first-grade teacher at St. John’s School, according to her obituary, and climbing to become superintendent in 2018 overseeing 6,000 students and 1,000 school employees.
One day after Murtagh’s death, tragedy struck again when PVMHS vice principal Judith Maniatis died unexpectedly on Nov. 30.
A popular special education, IEP Chairperson and “B” House dean, Maniatis had been with Peabody schools for 20 years.
“She was a great person who really cared for the kids,” said Rossignoll. “Just another huge loss for the high school and district.”
“Loss happens in life, but to have them happen one after another is just unprecedented,” said Griffin-Dunne. “I mean, we are a city, but we are still small and tight-knit, so all of these losses have affected almost everyone in the city in some way.
“The outpouring of support has been incredible and has been so heartwarming in a world that is filled with so many awful things.”
