The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed everyone’s life. Daily routines have been temporarily tossed aside, many people are out of work or have had their work hours dramatically sliced and diced, dining out is out, and social distancing is currently the rule of the land.
The daily updates from Gov. Andy Beshear on the state of the commonwealth always includes a report of 30, 40, or 50 new cases of the virus as COVID-19 spreads across the width and breadth of Kentucky. Eleven people in the state have so far lost their lives to the virus.
Amid the dour news, though, comes a story that is sure to lift the spirit of anyone lucky enough to witness the kind, thoughtful gesture of the woman who stands side-by-side with Beshear as he updates Kentuckians at his daily briefings.
Virginia Moore is a certified sign language interpreter and serves as Beshear’s ASL translator during the briefings. And while Beshear has earned national accolades for his keen response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Moore has also earned praise outside the commonwealth’s border, particularly from John Oliver, the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
As Moore, whose parents and siblings are deaf, stands a respectable distance from Beshear at the briefings, she expertly translates his words for the deaf and hard of hearing; not only using her hands, but also expressions and body language, allowing her playful personality to be on full display during this time of crisis.
Moore so caught the eye of those she translates for, that Leitchfield’s Spring View Nursing and Rehabilitation residents recently performed a skit with Moore, played by Miss Jackie, as one of the stars.
In the performance, Miss Jackie, along with another Spring View resident giving his best Beshear impression, reenact a typical daily Beshear briefing. Several other residents perform in the skit as they carry signs of support for Beshear and Moore.
The skit, which Spring View officials posted on the nursing home’s Facebook page, made its way to Moore. She responded with a personal message to Miss Jackie, eliciting from the resident what can best be described as pure joy and happiness, as Moore told Miss Jackie in the 41 second video, “Be patient, and when all this over I want to come and meet you.”
Miss Jackie watching Moore’s message is beauty in its purest form. And in the difficult time we find ourselves in, it’s an inspiration to bask in Miss Jackie’s visceral, unadulterated delight as she watches Moore’s personal video message to her. It makes one believe that sometimes its the simplest gesture that can spin a terribly tragic situation into an unforgettable, uplifting experience.
The three videos — the residents’ skit, Moore’s video message to Miss Jackie, and Miss Jackie’s response as she watches Moore’s message — can be found below.
The residents’ skit
Moore’s video message to Miss Jackie
Miss Jackie watching Moore’s message
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
