NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Long Island schools superintendent reportedly threatened to “cough on everyone” and “spread the disease” at his gym if they didn’t extend a freeze on his membership amid the pandemic.
Bill Heidenreich, superintendent of the Valley Stream Central High School District, left multiple voice messages and texted the Orangetheory Fitness in Merrick last month before a freeze on his gym membership was set to expire, the New York Post reported.
In texts, he allegedly claimed he was a “close contact” with someone who was COVID positive and “in quarantine.”
“I’m demanding that you freeze my membership for another month. If you don’t, I’m going to cough all over everyone,” he allegedly said in one of the voicemails.
Orangetheory initially offered to extend the freeze for 30 days and then 60 days, but ultimately revoked Heidenreich’s membership.
While the gym initially called Nassau Police, managers decided not to press charges, according to the report.
In an email, Heidenreich told the Post the situation was a “personal matter.”
“Representatives from Orangetheory have been harassing me to rejoin their gym during the middle of a global pandemic. With the number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketing I do not feel comfortable participating in their group workout sessions,” he wrote.
Orangetheory’s Long Island developer, Nick Galinas, told the Post that the gym hadn’t harassed Heidenreich, saying, “We have a wonderful, friendly staff that always follows up.”
“He made our staff feel extremely uncomfortable and threatened,” Galinas said.
1010 WINS has reached out to the school district for comment.
