Maybelle Anderson of Southlake, Texas knew she had to go to New York to help fight COVID-19.
"I was terrified to go not knowing what we were going to walk into," nurse Anderson said.
Furloughed from an elective surgery facility in North Texas she didn't want to sit around doing nothing.
She, along with fellow Texas Woman's University alum Courtney Waddle, and three other women made the trip.
Anderson was amazed at the number of patients.
"It's like an obstacle course. There were stretchers, stretchers, I mean everywhere," Anderson said.
With many patients intubated and unable to speak Anderson tried to offer a dose of compassion the best way she could.
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"The fear is real and that's what these patients were feeling,” Anderson said. “When you look into their eyes that's what they're asking you. But you are there and you are telling them with your eyes that you are going to take care of them."
Anderson said what kept her encouraged was the outpouring of support from the community and being cheered on by New Yorkers.
"That support being there and seeing all that overwhelmingly we were so appreciative of it."
Anderson knows people are calling her a front line hero, but she doesn't see it that way.
"We were just doing what we know to do,” Anderson said. “To take care of people."
Anderson was away from her daughters while helping strangers in New York. But she knows she was still serving as an inspiration to them.
"They would write me letters and in their letters they would say we are so proud of you for being there and admire you for sticking it out."
Anderson spent 28 days in New York.
She’s back home with her family. She self-quarantined and took a COVID-19 test that came back negative.
Anderson says she plans to return to Texas Woman’s University in the fall to add to her nursing certifications.
