Stanley Chera, a New York City real estate developer and longtime friend of President Trump, has died of coronavirus complications, according to The Real Deal, a real estate news outlet. Chera, who was in his late 70s when he died, was a Trump donor who co-founded the real estate firm Crown Acquisitions. On March 29, the president referred to a friend of his who had contracted the virus and was hospitalized, saying that “he’s a little older, and he’s heavy, but he’s (a) tough person.” He added: “And he went to the hospital, and a day later, he’s in a coma ... he’s not doing well.” At one of his rallies last year in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Trump described Chera as “one of the biggest builders and real estate people in the world.” He also called him a “great guy” who has “been with me from the beginning.” An unnamed White House official confirmed Chera’s identity and friendship with Trump, the Associated Press reported.
