Michael Levesque was a paramedic working on an ambulance at the start of the pandemic. He had a pregnant wife at home and was in the process of switching his career into nursing. He recalls the memories of working on the ambulance and taking care of Covid patients, as well as how Covid impacted the EMS services overall. He also discusses how it felt to be starting his career as an Emergency Room nurse during a global pandemic. In both cases, his job put him directly on the front lines of medicine. He discusses the early problems of lack of knowledge and equipment to properly handle this pandemic. He also explains the mindset of an expecting father, working in a high risk environment, and then coming home to his pregnant wife. Michael’s unique life circumstances and career path gives his interview a perspective that few people experienced.

One of the oldest performing arts venues in Jacksonville, Florida, is the Florida Theatre, which over time has been an opera house, a movie theater, and a venue for concerts and plays. Even though under Florida law, they can reopen at 50% capacity, the layout of the theater is so small they could only operate at 25% capacity to maintain social distancing. Because of this, they have to remain closed as 25% capacity is not financially viable enough to open the theater. The Florida Theatre is a building rich in local history, and in the past they have stayed open to the public because of the concerts they host. Not only that, it is a major local employer, employing people directly and also contracting work from other local businesses.

When I saw an image of this front page on the internet, I thought it was from 100 years ago. And then I got my copy. Every year on the date, the 3,000 victims of September 11th are read aloud at the World Trade Center. It takes 3 hours. If we were to read the names of each person who has died of Covid-19 so far, it would take over 4 days, without stopping. It would cover each Sunday issue for over the next two years. Today I read 1% of those names. Each of those names was allowed half a sentence to describe them. Half a sentence for a lifetime on the front page of The New York Times. I picked out some of my favorites: -“We called him the grand Poobah” -her backyard birds ate right from her hand -could fix almost anything -first black woman to graduate Harvard Law school -quick with his fists in the ring -her will was indomitable -he could spit a watermelon seed halfway across a double lot -agent who turned on the CIA -her favorite quote was ‘I am as good as you are, and as bad as I am’ -cancer survivor who lived as a deacon -nothing delighted him more than picking up the bill -saved 56 Jewish families from the Gestapo -could be a real jokester -thought it was important to know a person’s life story -maestro of a steel-pan band -saw friends at their worst and made them their best -engineer behind the first 200mph stock car -discovered his true calling when he started driving a school bus -made the best Baklava ever -emergency room doctor who died in his husband’s arms -leader in integrating schools -architect behind Boston’s City Hall -shared his produce with food banks and neighbors -family believed she would have lived the traditional Navajo lifespan of 102 years. -loved his wife and said ‘yes dear’ a lot -mother to a generation of AIDS patients -worked long hard hours and still made time for everyone -walked across the Golden Gate Bridge on opening day -liked his bacon and hash browns crispy -more adept than many knew -would stay awake the whole night shift because she didn’t want anyone to die alone -freed from life in prison -her last words were ‘thank you’ . . . Seven small towns I thought no one else had heard of. Six women who reminded me of my mother. Five people my age. Four holocaust survivors. Three 9/11 responders. Two couples who died together. One person I’ve met. And a 5 year old girl. They didn't get a funeral. They didn't get to say goodbye. I've been in my apartment for 71 days. I've cried four times. Three of those times, was while I read this. Have fun at your barbecue.