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JUDY WOODRUFF: As the U.S. 
approaches another coronavirus 
milestone, we look back at the

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lives of a few of the almost 
125,000 Americans who have 
died because of the pandemic.

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Ninety-two-year-old Theodore 
Gaffney was a researcher and 
documentarian who brought great

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curiosity to his work. After 
serving in the U.S. Army 
following World War II, Theodore

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studied photography under the 
G.I. Bill. The Washington, D.C., 
native was one of the first

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African-Americans to photograph 
inside of the White House.

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In 1961, he documented the 
Freedom Riders as they traveled 
through the South to fight

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segregation. Theodore later 
moved to Brazil to study the 
African diaspora. It was there

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that he met his wife, Maria.

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Jess Begay Sr. of the Navajo 
Nation was a long-haul trucker 
who transported everything

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from explosives to milk. He 
taught others how to drive 
commercially, including his own

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daughter, Leslyn. She said her 
dad was humble and always open 
to learning more. He still

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referred to himself as a rookie, 
even as a 25-year veteran 
in the trucking industry.

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His family described Jess 
as dedicated, prayerful, and 
loving. He was 73 years old.

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Mary Wilson had a way with 
animals. She was 23 when she 
started working at the Maryland

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Zoo, and went on to become 
the first black woman to be 
promoted to senior zookeeper.

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Mary was a mother figure 
to many, including an 
orphan gorilla named 
Sylvia. Mary continued

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to visit Sylvia even after 
she left the Maryland Zoo. 
Sylvia always remembered her.

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Mary's dedication to her work 
inspired her daughter Sharron 
to become a zookeeper too.

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Mary was 83.

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Dr. Thomas Nyambane 
was a lifelong educator 
and student. Passionate 
about learning, Thomas

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earned advanced degrees in 
education well into his fifties. 
He taught English classes

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in Kenya, where he was born. 
After immigrating to the U.S. in 
1985, he taught at a Minnesota

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technical college. Thomas 
was a generous and devoted 
father and grandfather.

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At his church, he was known as a 
leader within the congregation. 
Thomas was 69 years old.

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Maurice Dotson's family said 
he always put others first. 
When Maurice was 17, he would

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often accompany his mom 
to her job at a nursing 
home, and it was there 
that Maurice discovered

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that he, too, loved helping 
others. Maurice went on to 
work as a nursing assistant for

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the elderly in Austin, 
Texas, for 25 years. 
His younger sisters said 
he was a father figure

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to them; protective and 
giving. Maurice was 51.

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And, as always, our hearts go 
out to all those who've lost 
loved ones in this pandemic.