The daughter of health care worker in the New York City area portrays her family during the pandemic. Her photography gives witness to her mother's determination to live fully in a new normal. — Laura Beltrán Villamizar, NPR photo editor
In the spring, before wearing masks was common, my mother wouldn't leave the house without one. She'd return from a 12-hour shift with trenches dug into her face by the N95 she had to reuse for a week at a time. By the time I was born in 1987, she and my father were both working in corporate America. My mom was working at an investment firm, but she had other career interests, so she began taking courses at Iona College. A philosophy course on death and dying inspired her to leave the corporate world.
Her education was in pursuit of a lifelong dream. As a young girl, my mom had wanted to become a nurse like the ones she saw as a child back home. She liked how neat and clean they looked. She especially liked the little cap the nurses wore, a cherry on top of the uniform, head-to-toe in white. Sometimes she calls home on her break with nothing much to say. I found out that sometimes something really bad happens at work and hearing from us helps her feel better. Knowing that, I never miss her afternoon call.
Our restaurants, churches, schools and small businesses are open and we have 18 deaths since day 1 all over 80 with pre existing conditions. NY IS HORRIBLE
NY says it all. They just cram sick people in nursing homes. I know where I live we aren't seeing that disaster. They have free testing daily, free mask a the health department, health care workers are tested 3 times a week and screened daily.
Thank your mother for her dedication. Thank you for sharing your family with us.
And we show respect for these amazing indivuals by wearing a mask, social distancing and following the scientists.
What a sad and inspiring story.
With so many inter-connected crises, 'normalcy' might not be with US for a long time. Rather, transitioning, just, healthy lives and livelihoods must emerge.
Yeah . and neoliberal central npr still talks about how great ACA is when it's shit and we could have universal healthcare . agents of the ruling class
Common sense tells me the 'at risk' should not be used on the front lines to combat C19. Sometimes life gives you lemons and sometimes you write about it.... wait that's not how it goes. You choose the risk or not.
Melissa is wrong, life is not semblance.
It’s Monday, November 2, 2020, and Donald tRump is still the most corrupt, No plan having, divisive, delusional , law breaking and misleading President in US history. VoteTrumpOut
236,501 COVID19 DEATHS continue! Too many Americans forget this Vote will be one of the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS an American will do in their lifetime Once November 3rd is gone “IT’S GONE!” & your LIFE will be left to see what all Other Americans have DECIDED FOR YOU on November 4th
I’ve worked in healthcare for 20+ years. The freezer trucks as morgues this spring and now this fall/winter are not easy to see. They’re parked by the employee parking garages. We walk by them daily and then watch idiots screaming about having to wear a mask for ten minutes.
Thank you for this story. I wish Covid Deniers would just open there mind and understand this! Would looks at these FRONTLINE workers specifically Hospital employees and would just do there part to help them.
SRuhle Republicans don't care if health care workers die. They lie the truth away.
Whether Donald is re-elected or not this individual has become the MOST DANGEROUS Person to America! There will be CONTINUING consequences of having an INCOMPETENT Individual with the highest level of US Security. He’s already proven he CANNOT handle an emergency federal response
Bless this family & the many thousands of others who are “living day to day” with the impact of this virus. “It didn't seem right rewarding her dedication to strangers with isolation in her own home, so we accepted that if she got sick, we'd all get it.” 🙏🏼❤️
SRuhle 💕🇺🇸💕 HONOR OUR HEROES......😷
SRuhle I have such gratitude for these front line workers and their families.
I don’t think everyone has returned to normal life. Those of us with pre-existing conditions are still wary of going out.
SRuhle ThankYouFrontLineWorkers💜💜💜💜
I am thankful every day for frontline workers who had no idea when they went into their professions that our President would one day throw them to the wolves. I am also thankful for 'essential' workers who keep our country moving. And I am not back to anything resembling normal.
Thank you for all you do, healthcare workers!
I feel their pain.
Does she use Apple/google app? Would be interesting to see her logs?
'Hunter was worth all the money he was paid by Burisma. Despite no experience, it was all talent and not corruption related. His dad had nothing to do with his success. A great Family' CNN