WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Thousands of front line workers and their families making great sacrifices to help others. Jeff Zachewicz is a respiratory therapist at Buffalo General. He works the overnight shift from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.
“It’s kind of gut wrenching,” said Zachewicz. “It's sad because there's no family members. Nobody can come and see these patients. You know you feel bad for them.”
But that pain quickly fades when he's greeted by two wagging tails at his front door.
“I come home and release by seeing my dogs,” Zachewicz said.
But before the pandemic hit, Zachewicz would come home to two smiling faces. His kids are staying full time at their mom’s home when they used to split their time 50/50. Zachewicz has seen his kids from a distance just four times over the past 10 weeks.
Noah and Olivia Zachewicz are seniors at Orchard Park High School. Their senior year will end with no prom, no graduation.
“We're the only two kids. He won't really be able to see that for anyone else,” Olivia said.
But that's the sacrifice health care workers and their families must make. Zachewicz may not get to see them right now, but nothing could change the way he feels about his two babies growing up.
“I know he's proud of us. He tells us all the time that he's proud of us,” said Olivia
Olivia and Noah will both attend University at Buffalo in the fall.
