NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani shovels snow to help motorists as deadly storm kills five | Watch

Mamdani shovels snow to help stuck motorists as deadly storm grips NYC

• Mayor Mamdani helped dig out cars stuck in Brooklyn snow during storm response
• Five deaths confirmed in NYC as freezing temperatures and snow hit the city
• NYC schools switched to remote learning; warming centers and plows deployed

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As a powerful snowstorm swept across the United States over the weekend, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani paused from managing the city’s storm response to help dig out vehicles stuck in snow in Brooklyn.

Videos shared on social media showed Mamdani shoveling snow to free a car along Myrtle Avenue and Franklin Avenue. In another clip, he assisted a second vehicle in a nearby parking lot near Throop Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. Responding to one of the clips, Mamdani wrote on X, “As I have said, there is no task too big or no job too small. Happy to lend a hand and help out New Yorkers. Stay safe!”

As I have said, there is no task too big or no job too small. ⁰⁰Happy to lend a hand and help out New Yorkers. Stay safe! https://t.co/U33Gob7bFU

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 25, 2026

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also replied, “Thanks for helping out our neighbours, but put on a hat!"

Benny Polatseck, an aide to former Mayor Eric Adams, praised Mamdani’s efforts on X, saying, “Credit where due, looks like @NYCMayor is handling this storm very well so far."

Fatalities and city response

Over the weekend, five people were confirmed dead in New York City amid freezing temperatures. Local officials said the deaths highlighted the dangers posed by the storm. “While it’s still too early to determine the causes of death, it is a reminder that every year New Yorkers succumb to the cold,” Mamdani said, announcing that schools would switch to remote learning on Monday.

The mayor emphasized that the storm would not result in a traditional snow day: “It’s not going to be a traditional snow day. That is a determination we’ve made.”

To protect residents, the city deployed sanitation crews to plow streets, clear bike lanes, and salt roads. Ten warming centers were opened, and ferry services were suspended across New York City, except for Staten Island routes, which remain vital for commuters.

Widespread impact across the US

The winter storm affected much of the eastern United States. Thousands of flights were canceled, including over 10,000 nationwide on Sunday, and more than one million customers lost power due to heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin lauded the city’s essential workers: “The scale of the effort today reflects how seriously our essential workers take public safety, and the crews on the ground deserve real credit and gratitude from the millions of New Yorkers who rely on them.”

Mayor Mamdani also thanked city workers, saying, “Thank you to all of the city workers who have been working around the clock this weekend to keep us safe. No job is too small, no storm is too big."