Former PFW Softball Player Serving on Front Lines During Pandemic

Former PFW Softball Player Serving on Front Lines During Pandemic

Hey good evening everyone..

Well sports have obviously taken a backseat to the covid-19 pandemic..

For most of us, that means not being able to go to games, or not being able to watch our favorite teams on tv... but for former purdue fort wayne softball player brooke imel, it's meant having to go from the outfield..

To the frontlines..

Petar hood has that story..

?nat pop- bat hitting ball, crowd cheers?narr: like a lot of student-athletes, brooke imel was blindsided by the news that she wouldn't be able to finish her senior season..

Brooke imel: "it was hard.

I think, because i thought i still had two months left.

I knew my softball career was going to be over after that, but it was kind of an abrupt ending."narr: and while it certianly wasn't the ending she had planned, imel says her recent reflections have brought nothing but gratitude in regard to the time she spent with the purdue fort wayne softball program..imel: "it really has meant the most to me, to be able to continue my softball career these last four years, because i know a lot of people don't get that opportunity.

It's usually the end after high school.

I think this pandemic has really allowed me to realize the things that i have."narr: and it's also given the leo high school grad a chance to focus on her career.

Imel, who's set to graduate from nursing school in december, has been working on the frontlines as a patient care technician at parkview hospital during the pandemic..imel: "when it all first started, i worked in the medical icu my first, i think, three shifts.

And they had all of the covid-19 patients at that time.

Mainly the people on vents, we were providing comfort care for them, bathing them, cleaning them up, things like that."narr: and providing that critical care for patients during this difficult time has proven to be a very fulfilling experience for this future nurse..imel: "it's been rewarding i think to see the growth of the people on the vents and seeing them wake up, and get better, and start walking and talking again.

The rewarding part of it is kind of what made me choose nursing, because i love to help people.

I love to see them grow and get better."

Narr: a mastodon making a difference.

Even though imel's softball days are done, she's still making her soon-to-be alma mater proud.

Reporting in fort wayne, petar hood, fox 55 sports.