New York City is at the epicenter of the Covid-19 health crisis, and as a New York City-based College that educates students committed to public service, our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are working on the front lines to keep our communities safe. Our “Front-Line Heroes” article series serves as a testament to the valiant efforts of our first responders and essential workers. As a community we thank them for their service, dedication, and personal sacrifice.

Kacia Wilson ’19 works as a Support Service Associate at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. The John Jay alumna is studying full time at New York Law School, while she puts in long shifts at Lenox Hill, checking medical supplies and transporting patients to different departments within the hospital. We chatted with Wilson to get a firsthand account of what it’s like in a hospital during the Covid-19 health crisis.

When did you first start to see and understand that this virus was going to have the impact that it has?
My first day working during the pandemic was chaotic. There were Covid-19 patients all over the emergency room. We were being told to reuse our N95 masks and other PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). When I returned the next morning, I saw a Covid-19 patient I had transferred to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) the day before. He had declined so much in less than a day. I couldn’t believe how quickly he got so bad. He was accompanied by about seven residents. On my way out of the building, I saw the large truck that holds the Covid-19 bodies. I went home, and my body had felt like it had been hit by a truck. I just broke down crying.

What were your first thoughts and concerns when the scope of the pandemic came to light?
My first thought was about the poverty families were going to experience because of the pandemic. When they announced the shutdown, I worried about the businesses that would have to close down, and the parents that wouldn’t be able to afford to take care of their families.

Now that virus is acutely affecting our communities, and you’re directly on the front line, what does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day at work starts with me checking the resuscitation room. I check that the IV carts are stocked. I make sure there are monitors in the room, and most importantly, that there are stylets. These are used for incubation. Before Covid-19, we kept three stylets in the room at all times. Now we’re keeping about seven or eight in a room at a time. Then I check the IV carts around the original emergency room, and I go to our second emergency room that we built as a result of the pandemic. After doing all of this, I go to radiology to see which patients need to come over for exams. Throughout the day, I’m bringing patients to their exams and transporting patients from ER rooms or the ICU. I also clean the patients’ beds after they’ve been discharged and refill the linen carts.

What do you want our community to know about your experience working on the front lines of this global health crisis?
That it really takes an emotional toll on you. My mother and my older sister also work at the hospital. We are all so emotionally drained. Not to mention that we’re all in school at the same time. I’m in my first year of law school, my mother is in her last year of getting her master’s degree, and my sister is in nurse practitioner school. While the well wishes are appreciated, along with the food brought in for us, checking in on our mental health is what helps the most. If you have a front-line worker in your life, please check in on how they’re doing emotionally.

How has this global health crisis impacted you on a personal level?
The first week that I started working during the pandemic, I refused to return home. I currently live in a dorm in Brooklyn Heights. My mom and younger sisters live in Queens. At the time, while my mom was working in the hospital, her unit was not a Covid-19 unit, so she wasn’t in direct contact with the patients. I was transporting Covid-19 patients for almost the entirety of my shifts. I was at high risk for catching the virus. I knew that even if I didn’t show symptoms, I could still be contagious. My younger sister, Yaanai, has a history of having pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses, and my youngest sister, Anaiah, has serious asthma problems. As Covid-19 is a respiratory illness that attacks the lungs, I knew for my sisters’ safety that I could not go home. I didn’t go home for about three weeks until I had thoroughly monitored myself. If that stress and fear wasn’t enough, I’m a full-time student in law school. My stress levels are through the roof. I’m worried that even though we have an optional pass/fail, my scholarship could be in jeopardy because of me working so hard at my job. But I’m going to keep moving forward as best as I can at work and school.

Is there any moment that hit you particularly hard? Why did that moment strike such a powerful chord with you?
One day I was on the phone with my mom while she was working in a Covid-19 unit. She was completely fine. Then, she broke down on the call. She said “Oh my god, a 23-year-old just died. I can’t. I just can’t. I have to go.” I could hear her about to cry. I knew why it hit her so hard, and why it was hitting me. I turn 23 in two months. Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we won’t get this virus.

Have there been any acts of kindness, moments of levity, encouragement or hope that uplifted you?
The first time I attended the “7:00 p.m. cheer” I cried. This job has been emotionally taxing, and when I heard all the applause, I felt hope. I felt like I couldn’t stop until we, New York, beat this virus. My coworkers and I appreciate that cheer every day. We run to the street to hear it. Also, the staff at the hospital has started playing the song “Here comes the sun” every time someone gets discharged. We just discharged our 1,000th Covid-19 patient. I know we can do this, especially with a team like ours, anything is possible. One thing is for sure, New Yorkers don’t quit.

What do you hope the world does to both prevent and help handle any situation like this in the future?
I hope that our country has learned the importance of having a plan in place for situations like this. I also hope and pray that every citizen has learned the importance of listening to the professionals that advise the country. I know being quarantined in our homes isn’t fun, but flattening the curve and saving lives is far more important than our boredom. Everyone has to play their part, not just front-line workers. It begins with all of us.