University at Buffalo (UB)
Statement on the Tragic Deaths of Dr. Daniels and His Daughters
Published July 4, 2022
Dear Jacobs School faculty, staff and students,
It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I share the news of the tragic passing of a beloved member of our Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo community. Jonathan Daniels, MD, associate director of admissions, Office of Medical Admissions, and his two adult daughters Jensen Daniels and Jordan Daniels died in a house fire early this morning.
Dr. Daniels was a 1998 graduate of the UB school of medicine and has been a practicing pediatrician for twenty years. Prior to medical school, Dr. Daniels served in the United States Army Reserve 365th Evacuation Hospital as a combat medic and served during Operation Desert Storm.
He was a tireless advocate for diversifying the physician workforce and has worked closely with the Associated Medical Schools of New York to expand the pool of scholars choosing careers in medicine and health care, by providing academic enrichment and support to students from educationally and/or economically underserved backgrounds.
Dr. Daniel’s daughter Jordan Daniels was a 2022 graduate of the UB School of Management. He is survived by his wife, Janessa E. Givens Daniels, Senior Associate Director in the UB Office of Financial Aid, who is hospitalized and recovering from the fire, and daughter Jillian Daniels, who is a 2020 UB alumnus in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Daniels was a treasured colleague, physician, mentor and friend, and his absence will leave an unfillable hole in our school community.
If you are grieving, please know support services are available. Support is available for students via UB Counseling Services at 716-645-2720 and for faculty and staff via UB EAP at 716-645-4461. At this time, we ask you to keep Dr. Daniels’ wife, family, friends and co-workers in your thoughts and prayers. We will share additional information when more details become available.
With a heavy heart,
Vice President for Health Sciences
and Dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences