We all need an everyday hero, and mine’s Tanya Cooper, my wife and best friend.

Tanya is loyal and generous to a fault, and goes out of her way to keep me happy and healthy.

One striking example: She has gone to work masked up for the past four years, dating from the start of the pandemic. Since Covid-19 is no longer a national health emergency, that is extremely rare. In fact, she and only four other fellow employees routinely mask up during her shift of 70 workers.

Why has she so diligently continued to cover her face at the workplace?

It is to protect me. I am immunocompromised due to my age and underlying health conditions.

Not wearing a mask during working hours, she might catch the coronavirus from another employee and infect me. The coronavirus is still sickening and killing people all over the world. True, it’s wreaking havoc at a slower pace, but the stakes are high when someone like myself is struck down by the illness.

So, Tanya steps up to the plate daily for me, her loving husband who has never missed an opportunity for a coronavirus vaccination. Yet, despite the naysayers, it is not entirely safe for those of us at highest risk of being in large groups and in close quarters when the virus is not yet done with us.

Another thing: Tanya pays for the masks out of her own pocket. Shortly after the beginning of the pandemic, her employer provided masks free of charge to all employees, but for the past couple of years she has spent hundreds of dollars masking.

So far, fingers crossed, neither she nor myself has contracted Covid-19 and its insidious side effects. I pray that never happens, though there is no guarantee.

But, having an everyday hero on my team makes me optimistic that I can avoid the virus until it is stamped out completely.

Tanya’s dedication to my health and well-being speaks volumes about her loving nature and devotion to me. Our marriage is stronger than ever because of her decision to stick with masking as long as necessary.

Ron Cooper ©2024