Sanitation worker who died from coronavirus complications called a ‘selfless’ leader

In one of Raleigh’s toughest and most critical jobs, Adrian Grubbs stood out as a “selfless” leader, his supervisor said Friday.

The 37-year-old died Wednesday after testing positive for coronavirus. The union representing city sanitation workers is now calling for both hazard pay and testing for crews collecting Raleigh’s garbage.

But even as they worked Friday shifts, workers paused to pay tribute to Grubbs, who started on a truck 17 years ago and worked his way up to supervisor.

“He was one of the people I kind of singled out as having the level of experience and leadership that may have been undervalued,” said Stan Joseph, solid waste services director. “He was truly a highly experienced professional. He always seemed to do and revolve his decisions around what was best for the department and what was best for the city. It’s kind of selfless.”

Megan Hinkle, who was a policy analyst in the City Council office, wrote on Twitter that Grubbs became her go-to person at City Hall and played a vital role in middle management.

“He knew that most residents wanted to be good customers, that they just didn’t necessarily understand what steps they could take to improve worker safety, to reduce waste, to increase recycling,” she tweeted.

Hinkle described him as quiet but direct, and always kind.

“I will always remember how Grubbs treated me after I announced my pregnancy at work,” she wrote on Twitter. “Ever the gentleman, he made it clear that there were plenty of strong guys around to help me, so no more hauling boxes or climbing ladders.”

Joseph said he has spoken with Grubbs’ family and emphasized that while he had tested positive for the virus, the city does not have official word on the cause of his death.

“His wife felt that he was an amazing father and a great provider,” he said. “He was the guy who would go out and check on his neighbors.”

In an email late Thursday night, Raleigh spokesperson Julia Milstead said the city is trying to protect sold waste and sanitation workers by reducing the number of staff in a truck from three to two, checking employee temperatures when they begin their shifts and cleaning the trucks daily.

Those who had direct contact with Grubbs are in 14-day quarantine, she said.

“This is an incredibly sad day for the City of Raleigh,” City Manager Ruffin Cox said in a statement Thursday. “We have lost one of our own and our hearts are broken. He was loved by his family and friends and a dedicated servant of this community.”