Midland International Air and Space Port TSA agent dies from Coronavirus
Midland County TX Dec 1 2020
A security officer at Midland International Air and Space Port has died after contracting coronavirus, according to a statement from the Transportation Security Administration.
Gabriel Madrid Gonzales, 49, of Odessa died on Nov. 21, according to an obituary.
The Pecos native was married for 28 years and had three sons.
Gonzales worked for TSA for 18 years, beginning his career shortly after the agency was created following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He received numerous awards over the course of his career, including the 2019 Customer Service award, according to the statement from TSA.
Coworkers remembered Gonzales for his smile and sense of humor on a memorial page set up by his family.
Ten other TSA employees have died of COVID-19 so far this year, according to the agency.
The death of Gonzales brings the total to eleven.
“[Gonzales’s] death reminds all at TSA of the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement says. “We remain committed to continuing to take every precaution to help protect our workforce as well as airline travelers.”
