WAS TOO MANY AND UNDERSTOOD THE
PAIN THAT PEOPLE WERE FEELING,
AND NOW HE IS OUR COUNTRY’S
PRESIDENT.
KAVEETA PATEL HAS BEEN WATCHING
ALONG WITH EDDIE.
YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> YES.
SORRY, NICOLE.
YEAH, YOU’RE RIGHT.
THAT SHELL TO CRACK OPEN, IT’S
PRETTY CATHARTIC AND I CAN TELL
YOU THAT NOT JUST THE TEARS THAT
WE HAVE ALL BEEN KIND OF HOLDING
IN OR DOING ON OUR RUNS OR I DO
IT AT NIGHT SO MY KIDS DON’T SEE
ME, BUT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO
HAVE THIS MOMENT, THOSE LIGHTS
TO SEE THAT THOSE LIVES ARE
ACKNOWLEDGED, THAT THEY ALL
MATTERED, AND YET, NICOLE, THE
KIND OF KNOWLEDGE THAT THE WORK
STILL CONTINUES.
WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO DO TO
HEAL THE NATION.
I THINK YOU HEARD VICE
PRESIDENT-ELECT HARRIS SAY THAT.
AND I’M SO -- IT’S HARD, NICOLE,
IT’S SO HARD TO BE SO HOPEFUL.
WE HAVE MIRACULOUS VACCINES.
WE HAVE A NATIONAL PLAN THAT’S
GOING TO COME TOGETHER AND JUST
THINK ABOUT THE TRAGEDY, YOU
KNOW, LOVED ONES, FAMILY MEMBERS
WHO HAVE DIED, COLLEAGUES WHO
ARE TRULY BREAKING THEIR BACKS,
NOT JUST IN HOSPITALS AND
CLINICS BUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO
MAKE SURE BUSINESSES STAY OPEN,
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU AND I CAN
GET TO AND FROM, IF WE NEED TO,
AND SO THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT,
AND IT’S SUCH A FITTING, FITTING
WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ON THIS
MEMORIAL, ON THIS HISTORIC DAY,
400,000 DEATHS THAT WE’VE
CROSSED AND YET WE HAVE EXACTLY
WHAT YOU SEE.
WE HAVE LIGHTS HONORING THE
ANGELS AND I COULDN’T -- I
COULDN’T THINK OF ANYTHING
BETTER AND ANYTHING MORE
NECESSARY THAN THIS MOMENT.
>> WE TALK MOST DAYS, AND YOU DO
ALWAYS FIND THE POSITIVE, THE
REASON TO HOPE, BUT I’VE NEVER
HEARD YOU CRACKED OPEN, AND I
WONDER IF I COULD JUST PRESS A
LITTLE FARTHER HERE.
ANOTHER THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS
SO STRIKING IS TO HOLD UP THE
NURSES WHO ARE STANDING ON THE
FRONT LINES, HOLDING OUR LOVED
ONES’ HANDS AS THEY TAKE THEIR
LAST BREATHS AND SINGING TO
THEM.
>> YEAH, THAT’S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
YOU KNOW, I’M REALLY PROUD.
I’M THE FIRST DOCTOR IN MY
FAMILY, NICOLE, AND IT WASN’T
EASY TO GET HERE, BUT YOU KNOW,
MY -- HONESTLY, MY GODSENDS ARE
ALL THE NURSES AND MEDICAL
ASSISTANTS AND CLINICAL NURSING
ASSISTANTS.
THEY’RE THE PEOPLE THAT CHANGED
MY UNCLE’S BEDPAN WHEN HE WAS IN
THE UNIT WITH COVID.
THEY’RE THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK CARE
OF MY FRIENDS, DOCTORS AND
NURSES WHO WERE ALSO SICK AND
DIDN’T THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN
SAFETY.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HELD
HANDS.
DOCTORS ARE ALSO RIGHT IN THERE,
BECAUSE THEY’RE DOING A LOT OF
THIS WORK, BUT YES, AND THE
NURSES, TECHS, I’LL PUT THE EMS
WORKERS WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THESE CRITICAL PATIENTS IN THEIR
AMBULANCES, AND NICOLE, IN LOS
ANGELES, THEY’RE JUST WAITING
FOR HOURS TO HAVE SOMEBODY EMPTY
THEM.
THEY REALLY ARE DOING THIS AND
THEY’RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING
BUT HONESTLY, NICOLE, THEY’RE
ASKING FOR THIS MOMENT.
THEY’RE ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS REAL
AND IT’S HAPPENING, AND WHAT A
180, YOU KNOW?
WHEN THE PRESIDENT -- WHEN
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE WERE DOING THIS FOR
MONEY OR THAT HEALTHCARE PEOPLE
WERE OVERCOUNTING THE DEATHS.
LOOK AT THOSE LIGHTS.
THAT’S -- THAT’S NOT ANYTHING WE
WANTED, BUT IT’S A WAY TO HONOR
ALL OF US.
NICOLE, IT’S A WAY TO HONOR, YOU
KNOW, MY KIDS, YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE
WHO CAN’T SEE THEIR
GRANDPARENTS.
I HAVE HAD PATIENTS WHO HAVE
SAID, YOU KNOW, I’VE HAD TO TAKE
OFF MY PPE JUST TO DO SOME PARTS
OF THE PHYSICAL EXAM AND THEY
SAID IT’S THE FIRST TIME
SOMEONE’S TOUCHED THEM.
THAT’S -- THIS MEMORIAL
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, AND IT
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE DO MATTER.
YOU MATTER.
AND I’M REALLY HONESTLY -- I AM.