Thank you, angels of care

Many of us senior citizens owe our longer life spans to our modern day health care workers. Recently I spent some time in the Greenbriar Health Care Center in Boardman. I was there twice before, and I told many of their fine workers. I would like to give them their moment of glory in my Vindicator newspaper column, since I was well known to them and which many of them read.

They are the physical and occupational therapists, nurses, nurses aides, housekeepers, cooks, etc. These are the ones who keep the operation on an even keel as do, of course, the doctors.

The List

I have listed as many of these workers as I can remember: Bonnie, Brian, Brianne, Carmel, Cynthia, Donna, Dot, Gidget (Michelle), Heidi, Heather, Jared, Jamie, Jamara, Jamiere, Kathie, Kelly, Kerry, Jennifer, Jeanne, Lisa, Lorraine, Maggie, Mary, Misty (Dawn), Shanay, Shoshanah, Regina, Ricky, Sue, Stephanie, Tiffany and Tracy.

I would like to mention two more favorites from Life Fleet Ambulette Service, April and Terri, who helped me on my road to recovery.

I spent a lot of time in the beautiful rehabilitation room during therapy, where loudly proclaimed on the wall are motivational words such as “Inspire,” “Persistence,” “Tenacity” and “Progress.”

Finally, I met a World War II veteran named Steve Kohl at the Greenbriar, who was very sharp at age 97. He said from one World War II vet to another, “You know who saved our lives, President Harry S. Truman.” I agreed with him 100 percent.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.