Our Hero

Martin is without doubt a hero. I feel what sometimes gets overlooked about Martin is the fact that he was a healthcare worker(a hero).    He was a speech pathologist who was part of the Swallowing Team at St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson and Wayne, NJ. At the start of this Pandemic he was on the frontlines seeing patients with minimal protective gear.  I am almost 100% positive that he contracted COVID doing a job he loved more than anything.  He had a true passion for what he did and how he helped and cared about people makes him a hero in my eyes.  Patient care was extremely important to him and based on his work stories and the stories others have shared with me since his death, Martin went above and beyond for his patients.  That was just the type of person he was...TOTALLY AMAZING.   As I was driving home tonight I saw a banner in front of a hospital near my sister's house that said "Heroes Work Here."  As I sat at the red light and looked at that banner, I thought to myself Martin is one of those heroes.  He was a healthcare hero who lost his life to this horrible virus and I feel that should be acknowledged more.  I feel speech pathologist who work in a hospital setting(medical) are not given the respect that they deserved.  Martin along with all his colleagues see patients everyday, perform tests,  and assess patients swallowing abilities.  They put their life at risk everyday and truly are just as important in the healthcare field as Doctors and Nurses.  I want people to be aware that Martin was one of the many healthcare workers that succumbed to this virus and is and forever will be a healthcare hero.  

Martin wore many different hero capes.  Not only was he a healthcare hero, he was also a hero to Elsie (and will one day be a hero to Graeme...Graeme is just too young to realize his Papa is a hero right now).  The way he doted on Elsie and Graeme was absolutely amazing.  Words cannot describe just how amazing he was as a Papa, but I will try to do my best.  When I think about Martin as a Papa, I immediately think about how he just jumped into being a Papa from the moment Elsie was born.  I had to have an emergency c-section so the first day after surgery was a bit rough and he just made sure Elsie had everything she needed.  He fed her, changed all her diapers, held her lovingly, calmed her down when she started to cry, made sure her blood sugars didn't drop so she would have to go to the NICU, and so much more.   From the moment she was born he was her hero and the bond they had as father only grew as she got older.  Papa always made Elsie feel safe, always encouraged her to try something new, was always there to catch her when she fell, always made her laugh and smile, and always made things better when she was having a rough time.  The thing that Elsie misses the most are his Papa hugs, because her heroes hugs were the best superpower in this world to make her feel safe, loved, and happy.  He did the same for Graeme, just didn't get the chance to do it longer.  In time Graeme will know what Papa did for him and how much he loved him.  Papa will always be Elsie and Graeme's hero now he his just a hero in heaven as their guardian angel.  

Martin was also my hero.   Just like he fought for his patients, he fought for me when I needed him to.  Throughout my two high risk pregnancies...he fought for me, after having both Elsie and Graeme and my diabetes wasn't being managed correctly...he fought for me, when insurance messed up with a medication I needed...he fought for me, when the NYCDOE gave me issues after I resigned...he fought for me,  when he felt something just wasn't right...he fought for me, when COVID entered our lives...he fought for me, and when COVID ravaged his body....he fought and fought and fought for me and for us until his body no longer could.  

Martin never wore a cape but he was truly a hero in so many different ways.  In my eyes he is one of the greatest heroes out there.  Martin Addison YOU will always be OUR hero.