Kelowna couple Jim and Kim Rhindress are hard at work writing and recording a song of tribute to the world’s health-care heroes.
Jim was a surgical nurse for 25 years, spending the last 17 years at the Kelowna General Hospital before a back injury forced him to retire. He still has friends on the floor and who are on the frontlines battling COVID-19.
“Being here at home and hearing from all my friends about what they’re going through, it’s hard,” he said.
“And of course, watching the news and feeling so incredibly helpless to do anything… all we’re being told to do is sit at home and hunker down and by comparison to them, they’re risking their health,” Kim said.
“And it’s not just the nurses and the doctors, it’s also the cleaners and people providing food and the first responders and the paramedics. Everyone is risking their lives for us and we just thought they needed to be honoured,” she said.
The pandemic is especially close to home for the couple. Their 30-year-old son, a former MMA fighter who is otherwise healthy, contracted the virus and had been sick and in isolation for the last two weeks.
“We were so worried… this is an MMA fighter, strong and healthy, but was down on his back for two weeks,” Jim said.
Kim said the song was easy to write because it came from a genuine place of gratitude. The couple is working with Vernon videographer C.J. Clayton, who they said will be putting the video together.
The couple posted a rough cut of the song on social media as well.
“The big ask from us now is for health care workers to send us their selfies. We need 300 pictures. We already have 50 from health care staff from New York, Germany, Edmonton, Nunavut and locally,” she said.
“This isn’t just about Kelowna. This is about everybody. This is a global thing that’s connecting us all.”
“The one positive thing about this pandemic is you realize how small the world is,”
If you would like to send your selfie to the Rhindresses, you can you can send it in an email.
If you know others who are giving back and helping those in need during this critical time, send us an email and let us know!
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