CORONAVIRUS: STRONGER TOGETHER
Loved Ones Send Off Health Care Worker Headed To NYC To Help Fight COVID-19
Apr 14, 2020, 1:05 PM | Updated: 1:10 pm
SPRINGVILLE, Utah – The first team of medical professionals from Intermountain Healthcare took off Tuesday to the New York City area to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Despite the frigid temperatures, friends and family of nurse practitioner Bob Ralston showed up bright and early to give him a warm sendoff as he left Springville for the airport.
“This is what he trained to do,” said Ralston’s sister-in-law Kat Fowler, who organized the send-off of about 30 people.
Ralston, an Army veteran, is one of the 50 medical professionals from Intermountain Healthcare flying to the Big Apple to help serve COVID-19 patients. Fowler said his volunteering is no surprise.
“He was actually talking about going before IHC wanted to go as a group,” she said. “He’s always wanted to help people – always been very willing. He’s a very quiet guy, and when he’s doing medicine he’s totally in the element.”
“And this is Bob,” she added.
Friends and family preparing to send off Bob Ralston a Nurse Practitioner at Intermountain MedicalCenter leaving for New York today. He’s one of 100 leaving to help #COVID19 patients. Details coming up at 7 pic.twitter.com/oB35DPYovg
— Felicia Martinez (@FeliciaKSL) April 14, 2020
In total, 100 health care workers from Intermountain Healthcare will leave this week for the big apple and be gone for 14 days.
Ralston will spend his time helping at Brooklyn Hospital. Although he’ll be away from his wife, two kids and countless friends and family, they said they support him 100%.
“I’m proud, I’m scared, I’m nervous,” Fowler said, “but I’m more proud than anything else.”