Owner of popular Oakmont restaurant remembered after dying from COVID-19

OAKMONT, Pa. — All of the lives Daniel Monaco touched in his 75 years is enough to bring anyone to tears.

“It’s hard. It shattered my heart when I got the news. He was a great man,” said server Kristi Russo.

“I was a 16-year-old boy when I met him. And now, I’m a 36-year-old man. He taught me a lot. I respect him a lot and it’s not just me. A lot of people do,” said bar tender Steven Dicocco.

“I’m trying to be strong for my family and everybody here,” said Dana Monaco.

Monaco’s father, Danny Monaco, ran Hoffstot’s Cafe Monaco for 50 years and on the same block, ran Chelsea Grille for 30 years. Danny Monaco tested positive for COVID-19 the Sunday after Christmas. He was then hospitalized and eventually required a ventilator.

“When he was taken down to the ICU, in typical, my dad, he said, ‘Don’t worry kid. I’ll be OK. I’ll call you when I get out of here,’” Dana Monaco said.

Her father died on Sunday.

“Anybody that’s standing out here will tell you he was their family too. He cared about so many people. He care about every single person that has worked for him, still works for him,” she said.

Health officials are tracking more cases of new variant of Covid-19

Cox Media Group