Louisville, Kentucky is home to over 600,000 people. As the biggest city in the state, news of the rapid spread of an airborne virus resulted in strong responses both out of fear and a hope to continue life as normally as possible.
Community Connected Against the Odds:
Once news of the COVID-19 outbreak took hold in early March, Louisville’s grocery and home supply stores were left with empty shelves as the result of people’s panic. Some were more worried than others, a shopper pictured in the cover image was baffled by the run on toilet paper. “I mean, how much toilet paper do you really need?” she said while walking towards the last group of paper towels left on Costco's shelves. As the virus continued to spread, many shoppers moved to online pick-up and essential businesses put more strict social distancing rules into place.
Despite business closings and supply shortages, Louisville’s community has still come up with ways to stay in touch without touching. While many activities such as sports seasons and the derby had to be cancelled, some things like birthdays could still be celebrated in a different way.
Mia Tierney (far left) was surprised by a drive-by parade outside her house for her twelfth birthday. A few of her friends donned masks and left their cars to wish her a happy birthday.
"I was really excited to see them, I just wish I could have hugged them." -Ashley Tierney
Family in Quarantine:
This outbreak has caused arduous changes to tasks that were once unremarkable. Grocery shopping is now done online and all items are sanitized at a table in the garage before entering the house. Every car has a bottle of hand sanitizer and an extra mask incase someone forgot to grab one out of the basket beside the door on the way out. The kitchen table turned into a production center for protective face masks. The porch lightbulb was switched to the color of compassion, casting the steps in an eerie green color at night. It seems like the sort of thing to happen in dystopian books and movies but never in real life.
I do know that I took so many little things for granted: going to my grandparents house on Easter Sunday and hugging them at the door, living a few hallways away from the friends I'd made during my first year at college, working my summer job without the thought of it being shut down ever crossing my mind. So now while I'm stuck in quarantine, I'm trying to look for that silver lining in any way I can.
I’m extremely grateful for my family's health so that I can use this time to appreciate the things I may have otherwise overlooked. I’ve witnessed my family spend more time together during this time than if life had carried on as planned. I’ve woken up on several occasions to see my father reading on the front porch, something that in my short 19 years of existence I’ve rarely seen him have the time to do. My mother has been able to pursue art projects that her business schedule previously kept her from. I’ve been able to spend time with my sister whose high school experience I will mostly miss out on as I’m away at college.
"I think this day turned out better than if life had been normal." -Gretchen Leachman
My dad was born on derby and this year was his fiftieth birthday, which fell on derby day again. My parents had planned to make a big event of it at Churchill Downs with a party to follow, however the pandemic cancellations made this no longer possible. In an effort to still make an event of the day, my sister and I planned our own sporting events and created the "Leachman Olympics." The family spent the whole day together, which is rare as we're usually all busy on our own, and ended up bonding more than if life had continued normally.
Despite the losses, I'm grateful that this forced pause will have a lasting effect on the way I view my daily life once this is over. To simply be able to sit down in a restaurant with friends without the fear of catching a virus. The mundane will, at least for a period of time, be truly appreciated and treasured. We are living through history, and this will be an experience none of us ever forget.
Credits:
Anna Leachman