Migrant workers surviving the PANDEMIC!
Life as we know it will never be the same.
The new normal was introduced after CORONA VIRUS 2019 or COVID19 devastated not only the lives of every family but even the future of the next generation.
And the people who can share what they have lost are those people who survive the tragedy just like the 67 years old Mexican Arturo Cantu, who has been in the United State since 1986.
He said before the pandemic spread globally, he used to travel from different states to visit his kids.
“They live in New York, Sacramento… Washington, so we use to go and travel. Visit my family in Alfaso, Texas“, Arturos adds.
But when the US Government ordered the lockdown, everything for Arturo changes dramatically.
“We just got to struggle, way back in Christmas…. it really hit me hard… my wife and my two kids got the COVID“, Arturo added.
Arturo, a ramp agent from Piedmont Airlines for seven (7) years considers himself blessed together with his family to survive the height of the pandemic.
“With the pandemic, you must think about it and appreciate what you have. The get-together, the values, people have to learn from this, some people don’t, I did. What I am struggling (Arturo pause for a while and sighs), personally COVID hit me in my lungs, and so my lungs are working less 65%”, Arturo narrates.
The struggle of Arturo was also felt by Erick Fanathin, a ramp agent also from Piedmont Airlines for 3 years.
He said even thou that his family did not catch the virus, the ordeal of a lockdown due to the spreading COVID19, is terrifying.
A life he said that is fill with fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
“Like everything starts to sat down, so jobs, people getting unemployed, they don’t have work and people lose their jobs, they get fired, they get lay-off and a lot of people don’t have many to pay rent, so they’ve been struggling”, Erick explained.
Erick admitted that his life has changed drastically especially at work. He thought that he will be part of other people who lost their jobs.
“And here at the airport, I get little flight, very few a day. A day we get one or two flights with less bags. Maybe one or two, the most a get during the pandemic is like ten bags. And their cutting hours, they let people go early. We don’t get enough hours”, Erick narrates.
For Arturo and Erick, whatever happens, they will continue to Live and care for their family.
And they will continue to Pray that this nightmare will soon be over. PMAA