Midmorning With Aundrea - April 22, 2020 (Part 1)

Despite the death toll, recoveries from COVID-19 are coming in everyday.

We meet a Starkville couple who have just recovered from the illness who describe their symptoms in detail.

And if you are missing facetime with your loved ones, maybe you've jumped on the Zoom bandwagon, but not all of us are good at it!

And Allie Martin introduces us to a family who have used the time with each other during the lockdown to unleash their creativity!

See you tomorrow.it it started with a routine phone call.

Longtime starkville resident jane owens, got a call to remind her of an appointment with her cardiologist.

But the nurse on the other end, noticed jane was coughing and sneezing.

Jane says what happened next..

Possibly saved her life and that of her husband.

Our cash matlock has more on a local married couple..

Both recovering from the coronavirus.

Jane owens is thankful for a lot of things in her life, but today& she's grateful for a phone call.

Thanks to a vigilant doctor's assistant, jane was convinced to get tested for covid- 19.

"they asked m what my symptoms were, and i said, well i'm sneezing, i'm coughing&" and it wasn't too long before the conversation turned to jane's husband..

John.

It just so happened..

John wasn't feeling well that day either.

"he was rolled u in a blanket on the bed.

He was buried down like he was cold, and his face had a purple color to his complexion."

Fast forward a few days& john was officially one of the dozens of covid patients in oktibbeha county& ominous news for jane& "he said you nee to brace yourself because your test will probably come back positive as well."

After john was diagnosed, he was admitted to och regional medical center for 10 days.

Jane says the first night without him& was the loneliest she's ever felt.

"i couldn't go t the hospital.

I couldn't see him.

I could just talk to him on his cell phone."

With john quarantined in the hospital, jane was enduring her own kind of self isolation& relying on friends and neighbors to deliver meals.

"they'd ring th door bell, put it at the back door, and then run."

John was eventually released from the hospital to continue his recovery at home.

Jane got her test results back a few days later& with positive results.

Now, the two are spending the next 15 days quarantined inside their home.

Jane remains symptomless& john however, has picked up a new ailment.

"he's developed numbness in his right hand, and his fingers are numb.

That worried me a little bit."

The couple married in the late 1980s.

They've been together for thirty-four years&.through sickness and health.

"he has taken goo care of me, and i'm going to be there for him.

We took those vows, and we meant them."

Jane relies on faith and daily prayer "i've heard, jane the healing is there for you, but you have to reach out and take it."

And jane& has no problem taking it.

"no lous coronavirus& i'm not going to let it ruin any two minutes of a good day."

The mississippi department of health has not released any numbers indicating the number of patients - like john who have recovered from the virus.

It is a special club - reserved for historical figures, elite athletes and heads of state.

But this week, the cover of "time magazine is reserved for those who serve.

Robbie owens has that story.

59:30 "... go created me a server and that's what i'm doing... serving."

Call it a nod of appreciation, long overdue.

1:00:09 ..not just tw browne...it's for everybody.

Delivered, no less, on the cover of 'time'.

1:03:53 my father called me yesterday to ask me what kind of earrings i was going to wear for tv!

4:11 but they love it!

Fisher and several 'cafeteria lady' colleagues at dallas' t-w browne middle school, lakisha thomas/principal, t.w.

Browne middle school 1:12:59 every adult in this building is an educator-- everybody!

1:13:14 ...because i know that if my kids are not fed, then they cannot focus on learning.

Becoming the face of the front line workers keeping poor children fed while schools are closed.

Time magazine producing five covers honoring heroes of the pandemic.

1:00:15 ish "i've bee getting a lot of text messages saying 'thank you' for representing us well, :22 thank u for letting people see us, they're loving it, i'm loving it, 8:28 "oh, this las week has been a lot-- i mean, it's been tremendous.

It's a lot of work; but, we enjoy doing the work: we enjoy feeding the children... you probably thought she was talking about the magazine: still, they admit: it has been kinda fun.

8:44 the magazine??

I was telling them, i need a bodyguard, i think it's a honor... it's really great.

"disd announce early on that they would continue to pay all staff during the shutdown... so everyone here tells me they're not here because they have to be: but, because their passion demands it.

6:37 "...it's what love.

It's what-- god created me to serve and if i can do it, i'm a do it.

They need me.

They love me.

And i love them."

In dallas, robbie owens, cbs 11 news.

Y'all doing this?

Gathering everyone around the computer screen... it's a whole thing.

Next on mid morning.

If you are missing that face time with your friends and family, you may have joined the zoom bandwagon.

It works for - work.

So many people are using video conferencing apps to connect with loved ones.

But as andrew zimmerman points out - not all of us are good at it.

After a zoom family reunion over the weekend i realized that not everyone is a trained photographer.

So i'm here with five simple tips to make you look the best you can on your next video conference.

Tip one is about having the right camera angle.

Let's start by finding the camera.

On most devices it's at the top.

You may have an iphone or ipad with a built in stand and you might think that's good.

Hope you enjoy looking at my ceiling and did the camera just add 15 pounds.

You want the camera to be on the same level as your eyes.

I've added a few books to raise it up and you can see the difference.

Tip 2 is about distancing.

You want to be just close enough to touch the camera.

Too far away and you end up looking really small.

Too close and well, you can see.

Tip 3, frame yourself in the middle.

Too low and we only see your chin.

Too high and we have too much empty space.

Tip 4 is all about lighting.

Windows are your friend, or your enemy.

Don't use the windows as a backdrop behind you.

That will cause the camera to adjust for outside lighting leaving you in the dark.

Instead turn around and face the windows.

Try to be close to line up with the windows because if you turn too much, it's lighting you from the side and you'll end up with shadows across your face.

The same goes for lights above you.

Just turn them off so you don't end up with shadows down your face.

Tip 5 is an easy one.

Clean up your background.

The focus should be on you, not the tv or the creepy puppy statue your wife brought home after antiquing one day.

So to sum up my 5 tips, have the camera at eye height, an arms length away.

Frame your self in the center of the video.

Light yourself from the front.

And make your background distraction free.

Using these simple tips with any device can help you look even better in your next zoom meeting.

I got to go for kctv5 news, i'm andrew zimmerman well - my family got together over zoom this past weekend and oh what a time!

We had cousins from mississippi to memphis to virginia to georgia.

Grandma emma, who is 91 years old, and her sister, my aunt katherine, also joined in on the fun.

It was loud and chaotic and full of laughter..

Just as it would have been if we were gathering in- person.

Zoom will have to do for now, but we are looking forward to a huge get-together when it's safe to do so.

When we come back, the show must go on.

We'll show you how next on mid morning.

Ma many families across our area have a lot more time together since the statewide shelter in place order was issued.

That extra time has prompted one family to use their creative abilities to bring a smile to people's faces.

Wcbi's allie martin has more.

Clint and brandi reid are teachers in union county schools.

They are using their downtime and talents to make music videos that are bringing laughter and joy to a large audience during these unique times.

As the drama teacher at union county schools, clint reid is known for making creative videos highlighting activities and achievements.

So when the schools shut the doors because of the coronavirus, clint's wife, brandi, who is a music teacher at ingomar, made a suggestion.

"hey, how about i we did one of those videos as a family."

Nats music video the first video used a popular song from disney's "frozen" "love is open door" becam "there are no ope doors."

"we did it just t have fun, to make memories with the kids, when i uploaded it to facebook it, we were shocked at how quickly it took off."

Response was overwhelming, with tens of thousands of people clicking on the video and a facebook poll "th greatest show" from the greatest showman, as the next music video selection.

Nats clint and his wife rework song lyrics, audio is recorded, video segments are shot and edited.

It is a long but rewarding process for everyone involved.

"we don't alway say, like the right stuff when we're saying, and we have to start over, it's just hard."

"it took us tw days and took my dad most of the night to edit all of it, but i think it turned out really good."

Each reid production ends with a message of hope.

Nats the reid family is isn't sure what their next music video will be but they promise they won't keep their fans waiting too long.

In union county, allie martin, wcbi news to keep up to date with the reid family videos, you can look up clint or brandi reid on facebook.

Many people are finding their voice at home.

One of broadway's leading men has found a new role - every evening he performs to lift spirits.

Here's jim axelrod.

While covid's turned out the lights on broadway& it hasn't completely shut things down& nat/bsm singing narr: not if you head 50 blocks north& to broadway legend brian stokes mitchell's neighborhood.

Nat/bsm narr: there..each night he leans out of his window - and belts out one of his best..

To a mask- wearing socially- distancing audience.

"this is my quest& sot/"this is m quest to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far //i mean it what what better lyrics are there... narr: you may know it as "th impossible dream" from "the man of l mancha."

But it actual has two additional words - the quest.

Sot/it's not a song about trying to do the impossible.

It's a song about trying period.//we don't cure the corona virus until we first try.

Narr: it's also a reminder that things can get better from a man who knows.

Mitchell had the virus three weeks ago.

Sot/i had a very high fever that went up to 104.8//i lost my sense of taste and smell.

It felt like i got hit by a truck.

Narr: he wants to express his gratitude..

Nat/singing sot/there's this feeling of community.

//and we will get through this absolutely together.

Narr: and new yorkers are just lucky..

He doesn't simply want to say thanks..

He wants to sing it.

Ja cbsn montclair, nj a celebrated artist is using his talents to spread a message of hope during the pandemic.

Award- winning illustrator kadir nelson is known for painting african- american icons who've inspired him.

They include dr. martin luther king, junior, baseball star jackie robinson and former congresswoman shirley chisholm.

Lee cowan shows us how nelson is now taking inspiration from áotherá heroes.

It normally takes kadir nelson weeks to paint a work this big - this detailed - this powerful.

But this took only a matter of days - because he says, the times demanded it.

Sot/kadir 13:46:12 "i think it's crucial moment and i need to have a voice and say something about it and create an image that will give people hope // 13; 25:16 i call the painting, after the storm."

"after the storm "after the storm.

It might have been easier for nelson to spend the shut down - looking at the near empty streets of la- depicting the fear and anxiety the coronavirus is leaving behind.

But what struck him more - was the globe's resilience and courage.

Eyes up - looking forward - he says - should be the signature of this difficult time - not the grim reality behind us.

"i always felt tha it's more important to portray // the better parts or ourselves, something that speaks to something bigger than us..."

Strength is what he captures best; this is his view of congresswoman shirley chisholm - aretha franklin - and harriet tubman.

He's help resurrect history too - portraying players in negro league baseball - and reminded us why mohamed ali mattered so much.

"i think what's in m head is the idea or the feeling that i want it to have."

"it has to have a emotion..."

"yeah, yeah.

I thin that's what makes art....art."

Nat/sot music uld know - his art is highly prized by collectors - many hang in museums and galleries.

He intends to give much of the proceeds from the sale of after the storm to covid 19 relief efforts - wherever the money is needed the most.

"we are all huma beings and we're all part of the human family, and we're all experiencing this together."

Art can often reflect who we are as a society - let's hope kadir nelson depiction - is indeed who we'll be - after the storm passes.

In los angeles, lee cowan, for cbs this morning.

It's a good day to listen to a good story.

Storytime