Ronald Silver II would wake up early every morning to provide for his family before his family was fully awake to go out and complete his route as a Baltimore City sanitation worker. When he came home, he stayed busy; whether that was attending his kids’ activities or re-organizing his mother’s home.
That’s how his family remembered him in a press conference held two weeks after his death.
On August 2nd, Silver, 36, died of heat sickness after working his trash collection route when Baltimore City was under a Code Red heat index. His death, which his family has called “entirely preventable”, is currently under investigation by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health and the Baltimore Police Department.
To the people who loved him, Silver was always called “Ronnie.”
Renee Garrison should have been planning a wedding, not a funeral. She stood outside City Hall in front of Silver’s five children as she wiped tears from her eyes.
“Ronald was a man whose family meant the world to him. He took extreme pride in being able to take care of us,” said Garrison, remembering her fiancé. “He loved shopping for the latest, watching Marvel movies and then quoting them, word for word, listening to music and doing my favorite activity — which was whatever Renee wanted.”
Faith Johnson, Silver’s mother, remembered his sense of humor and great “comedic timing.” Silver was her first born and took that job very seriously, she said. When her husband died, Silver moved in to help her take care of things.
“Although my son would say the reason for us moving in together was so his children could grow up in a multi-generational household,” said Johnson.
Silver’s loved ones are working with Baltimore attorney Thiru Vignarajah. They are demanding accountability from the city in the form of investigative hearings into Silver’s death. The Baltimore City Council will be holding a hearing next Thursday looking at conditions in Department of Public Works facilities.
Just hours before the family spoke outside City Hall, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott and acting DPW Director Khalil Zaied put out an announcement saying that the city had hired Conn Maciel Carey LLP, a Washington DC-based law firm, to audit DPW’s policies with a focus on heat standards. Work has reportedly already begun on that review with recommendations expected to be ready in late September — which Scott wrote will be shared publicly.
"We have said from the start that we will work with everyone — the union, the City Council, the Silver family, and rank-and-file DPW employees — to address the concerns and ensure they know they are fully backed by this administration,” said Mayor Scott in a statement.
Vignarajah said Silver’s family finds the timing of the announcement “a touch offensive.”
“That is what guilty parties do hiring their own investigator when they're in cover up mode, not what public officials and public agencies do when they are trying to get to the bottom of what really happened,” said the attorney.
While Vignarajah said the Silver family has not ruled out litigation, they have not yet announced a lawsuit. The family has said they are dedicated to making sure Silver is the last person to die from heat while working on the job.
Earlier this summer, the Baltimore City Inspector General issued a series of scathing investigative reports detailing inadequate air conditioning and potable cold water at multiple DPW facilities, including the Cherry Hill Reedbird sanitation yard. That is the yard where Silver left for his route on the morning he died.
The Silver family is asking other DPW workers to come forward with their stories of working.
“I would also like to say to every man that is providing problem solving, protecting and sacrificing for his family: you are valued and important and worthy of protection yourself,” said Garrison.