Acknowledging the coronavirus pandemic heroes I stupidly missed

I wrote a column last week pointing out and praising our community’s coronavirus heroes and, inadvertently, exposing my own failings. (This is something I do on a regular basis.)

It turns out I unwittingly omitted many heroes. Luckily, I am blessed with readers willing to amend my deficiencies.

I said in the column: “At times like these we should recognize that the men and women doing necessary, potentially heroic service wear all manner of uniforms. From camouflage to hospital scrubs, to overalls, to polo jerseys, to reflective vests, to aprons.”

Friends and loved ones of those I failed to mention rallied to correct my omissions, for which I am extremely grateful. They include:

❚ “Thank you for the topic of your column this morning. My brother is a truck driver for an oxygen supply company. He is considered essential workforce, and delivers to many nursing homes in a given day. At each one, he is asked to wash his hands and then is tested before he can proceed with delivering the oxygen tanks. He washes his hands again when he leaves. He washes his hands so many times a day that they are now raw. It’s people like him that we also need to keep in mind and support. I sent him some Bag Balm to help with his hands.”

– Cynthia A. Standley

❚ And there was: “Respiratory care practitioners are the ones that run the ventilators, Intubate, administer therapy, suction the patients tracheostomy tube, administer chest physiotherapy and anything to do with the air way . ... As you can see we are truly the “MOST” vulnerable to exposure of this disease! Yet no one mentions the poor Respiratory Therapist. The next time you write about this subject can you please mention the poor Respiratory Therapist.” – John Pietrzyk, retired

respiratory therapist

❚ And: “Please mention all the food warehouses working so hard to get the food out to the stores. My son-in-law is working from 16 down to 12 down to 8 hrs a day, until food trucks come in, then up to 16 hrs again. This is for the workers getting supplies and food to Fry’s stores. I’m sure other warehouse workers are working hard too.”

– Peggie Waddell

❚ And: “There is one ‘Shero’ I would like to add to your list of those working during this crisis – child care providers. I say ‘Shero’ because the majority of the workforce is female and already underpaid. Most child care workers earn minimum wage and go without health benefits. Although the profession is respected, the wages are dismal. Early childhood professionals make it possible for health care providers, postal and delivery workers, food service employees and others (on and on) to go to work knowing their children are cared for.”

– Martha Muñoz

❚ And: “Too many of us take all those folks for granted as we go through a checkout line, pick up meds, get our packages and mail and on. We should be thanking each individual as we encounter them helping us.”

– Elaine Arena

❚ And: “One group I didn’t see mentioned is the cable company workers, many of whom are putting in new cable and Wi-Fi connections That requires them to go into homes. Spectrum offered free installation. They are overwhelmed with the demand.”

– Barb Johnson

❚ And: “The pandemic will end, and thanks to all the hard working people you wrote about, our lives will get back to normal. When that does happen I hope we all remember how important these people are in keeping our country up and running every single day! This year Labor Day will have a very special meaning for me.”

– Maryruth Keogh

For us all, hopefully.