Who is your hometown hero?
Editor's Note: The Recorder will periodically feature local heroes who are making a difference when it comes to the COVID-19 response.
Readers are encouraged to recognize their heroes whether they be a postal worker, medical professional, grocery store worker, teacher or any essential worker.
Send a photo of the person and their name along with why they are a hero to cwhisnand@ portervillerecorder. com. Submissions can also be mailed to 115 E. Oak Ave., Porterville 93257.
Tiffany Silva
Kayla Hicks says her sister Tiffany Silva is “my hometown hero!
“She's a respiratory therapist at Sierra View Medical Center. She's been quarantined for COVID 19 and still decided to go back to work once cleared negative. She goes above and beyond; picks up extra shifts because the hospital is so short staffed, makes masks in her free time and donates them to anyone and everyone in need. She's an amazing person both in and out..if anyone deserves a “shout out” she's definitely one of them!!”
Krystal Martin
Stacy Kates has nominated Krystal Martin.”i think it's so amazing to shed light on those in our community who are making a huge difference through this pandemic,” Kates said. “I would love to nominate this amazing woman. Krystal Martin. She is a wife and a mother. She's dedicated to her nursing at Sierra View Hospital. During this pandemic, I can bet my last dollar that this woman never thought twice about what she is about to walk into or the risk and sacrifices she is taking, along with her family.
“She has been a neighbor to my grandparents for several years now, and over the years she has been a God send to my grandparents and our family. They have heart and other health conditions and even through this pandemic and taking care of her own personal needs she has gone out of her way to make sure my grandparents have what they need and calling to check up on them. She is a blessing to not only our family but to our community. She's our Hometown Hero.”
Marsha Schott
Vanessa Reilly says her hometown hero is her mom, Marsha Schott. “My hometown hero is a Retired Special Ed teacher of 40 years and my mom, Marsha Schott. She has come out of retirement to home school my severely autistic teenager who doesn't understand why she cannot attend school. My daughter, Camryn, is completely off her schedule and my mom is trying to give her some kind of normal. Each day she works two hours with Camryn on IEP goals in math and oral communication. She also works on life skills like cleaning up after herself, vacuuming, sorting etc. Students like my daughter do not understand why they cannot go to school. My mom, our hero, has made a situation that could be chaotic and out of control quite normal and school-schedule like. That is why she is a hometown hero.
Michael Flores
Jacob Flores says about his dad, Michael Flores: "My dad is our hero here at home! I may be a college student now taking classes from home, my siblings learning from their computers, and my Mom teaching from one, but my Dad always goes to work ready to help others. He is a Physician's Assistant at Family Healthcare Network here in Porterville and has always been there for his patients. He goes to work with his N95 mask ready in hand and his homemade Raiders cloth mask for good luck. It has been abnormal being back home from college, but I get to see my family every day and get to see my Dad go on the front lines and protect his community. He truly loves what he does and has been doing it for years. If anything, nothing has changed about his happy demeanor towards his patients, only the circumstances they must interact in. He knows we will get through this as a community, and while everyone may be exhausted from social distancing, he is thankful for it. Protect our healthcare workers like him. Stay safe and healthy, Porterville."
Pakou Chang
Linday Chang simply says about Pakou Chang, an ultrasound technician at Sierra View Medical Center: “She saves people's live, also mine.”
Dr. Santwant Dhillon
Pakou Chang has her own hero and it's Dr. Santwant Dhillon.
“With all this COVID19 crisis going on the anxiety is high with quarantine, social distancing and not visiting family members (especially the grandparents) it has taken a toll on everyone in our community.
Being an employee of SVMC and Infinite Care Women's Health, I am one of the frontline staff in both places. It is not easy, yet I am passionate about my job and love what I do for all my patients.
Last month, after working some long shifts and being exposed to multiple positive COVID19 patients, I started to feel light flu symptoms and a couple days later I came down with a cough, pink eyes and felt fatigued. I immediately informed both my employers and immediately took time off work. As the days went on my condition got worse. I started having chest pain and shortness of breath.
I knew and fully understood by this time the Tulare County Health Department was testing for patients for COVID19 but was overwhelmed already. I followed all instructions and isolated myself not only from my co-workers and community but from my spouse and kids too.
At this time, I was taking multiple cough medications and exhausted almost all of my inhalers. I began to wonder if this was it for me.
Dr. Dhillon and his wife are both my doctors. He called and checked on me every day as I waited to hear back from the county for a PUI # to go get my test swab. As Dr. Dhillon checked up on me he knew how sick I was and called in multiple prescriptions for me.
Dr. Dhillon is such a caring physician and a boss who worries and cares for all his employees and patients as if they were family. He made several attempts to help me to get the test done quickly.
Living in Porterville for more than 2 decades, I have had other physicians and worked many places but never one like Dr. Dhillon. He's not just my physician or my boss. I have worked for him for a few years now and he continues to demonstrate his compassion and cares for all his patients like his family. Above all he builds trust and is very family oriented with all he is involved with.
That is why Dr. Dhillon is my hometown HERO and No. 1 doctor.