MTA's First Female Escalator Mechanic Dies While Giving Birth To Twins
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The woman who made history as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's first female escalator mechanic has died while giving birth to twin girls.
Julia Roman of Dumont, New Jersey was 43.
She died last Thursday from an amniotic fluid embolism after delivering her twin daughters.
Her sister-in-law Lucy believes she would have had a message for her daughters.
"Reach for the stars, look at me I did it, reach for the stars," she said.
Roman worked as an electro-mechanical maintainer with the agency for the past 15 years. She came to the field through the group Nontraditional Employment for Women, which helps women find work in male-dominated industries.
An official with Transport Workers Union Local 100 said Roman was a pioneer in her field and will be sorely missed.
She is survived by her newborn twins, 5-year-old daughter, and husband.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.