“She was on her way to work. She did cleaning — the overnight shift,” a friend of Gocaj’s niece who works near the scene told The Post.
The beloved New York grandmother who died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Manhattan was heading to work for an overnight cleaning shift at the time, according to friends of the family.
Donike Gocaj, 56, plummeted to her gruesome death around 11:20 p.m. in Midtown Monday night, where she had seconds earlier parked her car and started walking to her late-night job with a cleaning company.
“She was on her way to work. She did cleaning — the overnight shift,” a friend of Gocaj’s niece who works near the scene told The Post. Facebook/Donika GocajFacebook/Donika GocajGocaj worked for United Building Maintenance, a company that contracts with local businesses for cleaning services.
“At this time, no comment,” a representative told The Post. Donike Gocaj was on her way to work an overnight shift when she fell into the open manhole in Midtown on Monday, May 18, 2026. Gocaj was from Albania, the family friend, who is also from Albania, said. The tragic death has left the Albanian community in New York is feeling “horrible,” she added.
Con Ed workers repaired the open manhole Donika Gocaj fell into.
“She was so happy when her son got married. ” “I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m a mother and my son is gonna get married in a couple of months and I was thinking, same thing. ”Facebook/Donika GocajFacebook/Donika Gocaj Donike Gocaj was on her way to work an overnight shift when she fell into the open manhole in Midtown on Monday, May 18, 2026. Robert Mecea for New York Post
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