Hometown Hero: Nurse Works Overtime After Recovering From COVID

LINDENHURST, NY — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.

Kristin Pehowich nominated her sister, Lindenhurst resident Heather Pehowich. Heather works as a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Pehowich

Here's what Kristin had to say about her sister:

She has been working insane hours throughout this pandemic, overnights to day shifts, 65 hour work weeks without ever complaining once and truly dedicating herself to helping others. She has the biggest heart in the world and is truly one of the most caring people I have ever known! She contracted COVID19 while working since we all know the hospitals did not have enough PPE for their employees and was out of work for 14 days then jumped right back into the chaos of working in the pandemic and helping patients any way she could. She is an amazing person and I absolutely believe she deserves to be honored, she is a hero every single day. No one understands how these men and women have to put their lives on hold especially when working in the hospital around all COVID positive patients. She is my 5-year-old son's godmother and hasn't been able to see him (except through FaceTime) hug him or be near him since the pandemic started because it's so risky where she works and what she's exposed to every single shift. Even when she got sick with COVID19 we had to fib and tell my son she was working to much to call because we didn't want to upset or scare him that she contracted the virus. She deserves this honor more than anyone, she is our superhero every day!

Thank you for all that you do, Heather Pehowich!

Do you know a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.