I always try to be prepared in life, but I don’t think anyone was prepared for this. Life for some came to a screeching halt when COVID-19 came into the picture. I took a job working in a hospital, because my previous job was closed due to the virus. I am an apprentice plumber for Local 1. I didn’t think much of taking the job, it just seemed like any other task to me; but times are different now. Suddenly you show up at the job and everyone is wearing a mask. Suddenly you are standing next to some nurses wheeling a body bag down to the morgue. Hand sanitizer is being passed out like a hot potato and there are only six men allowed in the hoist at a time. In the morning the atmosphere is intense and moves at a fast pace. At night it’s quieter, but there is no shortage of work, and you find a way to push through.

The company I was working with had two shifts. When I arrived I was told to work nights. 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., ten-hour days, or is it nights? I could hardly remember because the days melt into one. Every day was Friday because there are no days off. I managed to push through. One day I was installing copper for domestic use, medical gas, medical air, dialysis boxes and the next day it’s cast iron waste and vents. No day was the same. As an apprentice you are always on the move. I helped with deliveries, purging the lines with nitrogen before brazing and soldering, core drilling new holes for new vent and waste lines, and more.

One day I was asked via text by the Assistant Vice President of Programs from Non-Traditional Employment for Women (NEW), an organization that prepares, trains, and places women in careers in skilled trades, to do an interview on my experience working during COVID-19. I agreed, not feeling that it was a big deal because I love giving back to the organization that jump started my career. The next day I received a text saying the interview was happening that day at 4:30 p.m. Curve ball: it was a fundraiser (very vague), and it might be on the news.

I remember being excited and also panicked. “What am I going to say? What am I wearing?” Keep in mind I only received the text at 4 p.m. “30 minutes to get ready? I can do this!” I told myself.  For some reason I work well under pressure. I scrambled, I ran to take a quick shower (to look refreshed), tidied my room, threw something on, read over some talking points and then went live.

The fundraiser (I later found out) was for Robin Hood, New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization. They partnered with iHeartMedia to host a telethon aiding New Yorkers impacted by COVID19.

One of the questions asked was, “Do you feel like a hero?” I answered no. It’s funny because  I felt that the doctors and nurses are the true heroes. However, now that I think of it, there would be no medical air or gas without the copper tubing. I now can see how we all do our part to help out a fellow New Yorker.

The most surprising part of the whole experience was having previous coworkers text me saying they saw me on the news. This is what celebrities must feel like. It was an amazing feeling to know they remembered me and wished me well. My mother could not stop telling her friends. She sent out a recording of the broadcast to numerous people. A crossing guard from my alma mater called her asking to speak to me. She said she remembered me, and when she saw me on the news she was elated. The amount of love and positive energy from friends and family was overwhelming. I am truly grateful to the NEW staff for keeping in touch with graduates, and grateful to Robin Hood for the work they do to help fight poverty.

I want to continue to do my part to help others. After COVID-19, I want to do more as a New Yorker to give back to this great city. Things are a bit hectic with online classes, an ever-changing work schedule, and taking care of things in my personal life. However, when life resumes, I will take part in volunteer work or nonprofit work.

 

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Self Portrait

Fully covered with PPE makes it hard to work

Yesenia Montesdeoco