Gift of the Mask: Cuomo lauds retired farmer's gesture

[turbinetree]

By MARINA VILLENEUVE
an hour ago


ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Help has poured into New York from many places as the coronavirus has killed thousands, but the most humble of gifts — a single N-95 mask — brought a mist to the eyes of the state’s governor.

A retired farmer in Kansas mailed the mask to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying the couple hoped it could be used by a doctor or nurse.

Cuomo read the entire letter at his daily briefing as an example of courage and generosity in dark times.

“I am a retired farmer hunkered down in N.E. Kansas with my wife who has but one lung and occasional problems with her remaining lung,” read the hand-written letter from Dennis Ruhnke, also signed by his wife, Sharon. “We are in our 70s now and frankly I am afraid for her.”

https://apnews.com/21e8966e2c3106fb5cfff2d2811024a8

To the Farmer and to his wife..................

[lapfog_1]

1. send it back with 20 additional ones

and thank them for the offer

[mopinko]

2. i do not cry easily,

i was sobbing like a 3 yo w a dog bite.

[customerserviceguy]

3. They put this on

at the end of the NBC news show, in the "feel good news" section at the end.

[Princess Turandot]

4. Here's the letter...

Just lovely.

(If it isn't large enough for you to read easily, right click on the letter in this post, and select 'open image in new tab'.)

Link to tweet

[Cha]

8. Mahalo, PT!

[lunatica]

5. The reaction to this story shows how starved we are for human kindness

Trump has us all suffering from PTSD. We’re all hyper vigilant, expecting things to get worse and worse. It was a beautiful gesture that unexpectedly soothes our grief for the loss of humanity in our government. We’re in bad shape.

[brer cat]

6. +++ nt

[ornotna]

10. Absolutely true

We are hurting.

[Karadeniz]

7. Wonderful souls...this is the basis of Christian theology, not a godman redeemer.

[TNNurse]

9. This man is a patriot and apparently a Christian.

We both cried.

[c-rational]

11. I saw Cuomo read the letter today and it was touching. He has been great. Spot on as to how

any public official should be acting. Truthful and human.

[Faux pas]

12. Heartfelt

"little things" mean so much.