Alabama Nurses Helping With Covid Crisis Get Warm Upper West Side Welcome — Magnolia Pudding and ‘Northern Hospitality’

Skylar Killebrew (left) and Chelsei Ward Kumar (right).

By Lisa Kava

Two Alabama nurses arrived on the Upper West Side earlier this month to help treat Covid-19 patients in NYC.

Chelsei Ward Kumar, 35, an ICU nurse, and Skylar Killebrew 32, an ER nurse, responded to an urgent request for nurses needed in New York City and began working in a city hospital on April 8th.  The nurses are living on West 69th Street in a short term rental.

The two friends, who attended nursing school together, felt it was their responsibility to help in a place where there was clearly a great need.  “Alabama is being affected by Covid-19 but not nearly as badly as New York” said Chelsei.  “We would need to be quarantined from our families no matter where we worked so we decided to go where we were most needed.”  The nurses were required to undergo a lengthy screening process prior to being accepted to work at the New York City hospital.

Chelsei and Skylar provide daily care 5 days a week to patients afflicted with Covid-19. They work 12-14 hour shifts beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. or often later, with a 30 minute lunch break.

Their temporary digs on West 69th Street.

“A typical work day involves long hours of running around, mixing drips and taking care of critically ill patients on ventilators” Chelsei told West Side Rag. “The patients are scared because family cannot be there. That is the hardest part, the patients are alone. We are seeing patients die with no family at their side. It breaks our hearts and we wish we could do so much more.”

“It is also difficult being so far from home and from our loved ones” said Skylar who left her mother, nieces and grandmother at home in Alabama. Chelsei, who is a mom of a 12 year old daughter with asthma (currently being cared for by her own mother) echoed her friend’s sentiment.

Despite the emotional and physical toll of the work, both nurses say the experience is incredibly rewarding. ”Working in healthcare, you have to be selfless” said Chelsei. “We act as advocates for the patients and have even helped them FaceTime family members” said Skyler. “We are working with terrific physicians and residents and we hope we are making a difference.”

This is the first visit to New York City for both women. They are touched by the kindness of their new UWS neighbors. “The people who live in the building have been amazing, they check on us every day to see how we are doing” said Chelsei. “One night I was craving Coca- Cola and I texted Eileen Vazquez, the building manager, just to ask where I might find some.  A short time later she was buzzing at our door to deliver 5 bottles of soda.”

“People talk about Southern hospitality but I can say that the residents of West 69th Street and some of the people we have met on the Upper West Side have Northern hospitality!” said Skylar.

On days off, the nurses catch up on sleep, run in Central Park and marvel at the cherry blossoms. They have been enjoying the free banana pudding given by Magnolia Bakery to healthcare workers. “I have to say it is better than any Southern cooked banana pudding I have tried,” said Chelsei.

Both nurses will return to Alabama after June 12th when their contract at the New York City hospital ends. They will then need to quarantine for two weeks before reuniting with their families.

“We would like to tell all New Yorkers, stay strong, we all are one nation and we will fight this together. Everyone in New York, inside and outside the hospital has been amazing. We would like to thank everyone for the gratitude and support and for the cheers every night at 7 p.m. We hear them and we are so thankful.”