People across Dallas-Fort Worth answered a call Thursday night to spend five minutes applauding those on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.
Along Harry Hines outside of U.T. Southwestern, a convoy of 50 cars covered in poster-sized thank yous paraded past with honks, cheers, and applause for the doctors and nurses within.
Following requests from Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, neighbors gathered on front stoops and porches with instruments, pots and pans and in some cases, simply a round of applause.
That included the Taylor-Schlitz kids in Keller whose “thank you” didn’t have to travel far.
“Our mom’s an emergency medicine physician. She’s the epitome of all of the news articles you’re hearing about, all the stories that you’re hearing, the pictures that you’re seeing. She’s out there on the front-line fight,” said 17-year-old Haley Taylor-Schlitz.
Taylor-Schlitz and her younger brother Ian and their little sister Hana said their mom, Myiesha Taylor, has worked nearly every day since the pandemic began.
That’s meant limited hugs and kisses as she, like others on the front line, has put distance between herself and her family to keep them safe.
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It’s also nerve-wracking for her kids who worry about a lack of PPE. Though through their eyes, Taylor heads out the door each day protected by a hero’s cape.
“Watching your parents walk out after seeing the news and the stories, they’re like a superhero or like a god. The fact that you would choose to go out there, you know you’re risking your life. But you’re so selfless, and you’re saving people who are sick. It’s amazing,” said Taylor-Schlitz.
Thursday they were grateful to see their community share those sentiments, even if just by a few minutes of applause.
“People still need to go to the grocery store and get food. We still need running water and electricity. We still need physicians and nurses. It’s great that society recognizes the importance and is doing something to recognize how much we appreciate them,” said Taylor-Schlitz.
Synchronous ovations have become a nightly tradition in several cities across the world as a sign of solidarity.
