Byram woman makes hundreds of masks for FedEx drivers

Sonny O’Brien work for FedEx Express, stationed in Budd Lake, which serves all of Sussex County. When the COVID-19 pandemic started getting bad, his manager contacted Sonny’s wife, Jessica O’Brien, and asked if she could make 100 masks for their station.

“It took her about a week, but she cut and sewed the hundred masks,” said Sonny. “Word got around throughout the company and to the top about her masks. She was asked by the president of FedEx to continue making them for the company.”

Though she could never make the full amount needed, Jessica agreed and has made more than 700 masks. Sonny posted a video on a FedEx express employees’ Facebook page and said they'd be sending a mask out to everyone who responds, in batches of 50.

“We have been sending them out to FedEx express employees throughout the state, country and even the world,” Sonny said. “Employees are posting their mask selfies from all over including Canada and Belgium. It is great to see where all of her hard work is going. It's been a lot of hard work, and she's not done yet, but it's well worth it to see everyone so happy and thankful when they get their mask. I help with them when I'm not out there on the frontline delivering.”

Jessica doesn't work for FedEx, but is working from home for her job as well as homeschooling their daughter, Danica, who is also helping with the mask making.

“So she is doing this while doing all of that,” Sonny said. “She just wants to do what she can to keep all of us safe.”