Coronavirus Update: Army Ranger Inspires Community To Hang Blue Ribbons For Health Care Workers
WYCKOFF, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Many have asked what can they to do show frontline workers a tremendous debt of gratitude. In Bergen County, the answer may be as easy as tying a blue ribbon around an old oak tree, or any tree for that matter.
"When I was in the Army and I was deployed, I remembered my family had the yellow ribbons that they tied around the trees in our neighborhood to show support. And I just thought maybe we should do something like that," said Glen Rock resident Jamie Egan.
Egan knows a battle when he sees one. He's an Army ranger who served two tours in Iraq, and when he speaks - or in this case, posts - people listen, like, share and act, reports CBS2's Chris Wragge.
"Glen Rock is where I grew up, and I know that Glen Rock is such a phenomenal town with a great sense of community," he said. "There's a lot of towns like that out there. So I guess I'm not that surprised that there's good people out there trying to show their appreciation."
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The message could not be more clear. A visual reminder popping up on every block. A blue ribbon to match blue scrubs.
"We have their back, we're thinking about them and praying for them," said Egan. "In the absence of our ability to anything, like they're doing and getting out there and helping, we just want them to know that we're really grateful and that we keep them in our thoughts and prayers for putting themselves at risk every day."
Egan's brother Dan is an emergency room physician in Manhattan.
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Egan himself knows the perils of being on the front lines. Like many of America's best, he's too modest to take full credit for this blue ribbon movement, but many can't thank him enough.
"Just want to tell you how appreciative myself and all the health care workers are for your efforts to plaster the town with these blue ribbons," said one nurse. "It means more to us than you would even know."
"Thank you so much for being selfless. The world is watching and we are in tremendous gratitude," Egan added.
