Every day during Nurses Week, 10TV has been honoring a frontline hero. On Tuesday, we recognize Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center nurse Patty Potts.
When she's not at the hospital caring for patients, she's at home, working to protect her fellow nurses. And her nomination came from the last person you might expect.
Ask Patty about being a nurse, and she speaks with understated humility.
"I just felt like I could be of help," she said.
She's been helping now for 30 years, 28 of them at Ohio State.
Glenn McEntyre: "Everybody has a job. Is this more than a job?"
Patty: "Oh yeah, it is. We see people at their absolute worst...and best."
Marcella Rupp sees Patty and other nurses as much more than just helpers.
"They're right up there with the police and the firefighters. It's really special," she said, choking up. "For one, it's something I just could not do. And they're making a big sacrifice."
But Patty is doing more than tending to her patients.
When she's not at work, she's home sewing masks and scrub hats for her fellow frontliners.
"It just really struck me when I found out that she was making these masks," Marcella said. "Because I'm thinking wait a minute- you're working these 12-hour shifts and then you come home and work another 3 or 4 hours doing this for people."
"I've made several for doctors, and I've put their name on it. And with their masks and goggles with all your stuff on, you don't know who's who. So that helps," Patty said.
She estimates she's made 200 to 300 masks and hats.
Her intention is simple: "To make people have a better day. Just give people a better day."
Marcella is the person who contacted 10TV about Patty.
Somewhat surprising, when you hear how they know each other.
"So I'm divorced, and Patty is now with my ex-husband," Marcella laughed.
"She's Rodney's ex-wife, and we get along great," laughed Patty.
And even if they didn't, Marcella says Patty, and those in the fight with her, deserve this honor, and more.
"I think everybody now is really thinking about showing appreciation for people and what they do," she said, her voice breaking. "So hopefully that will be something that people continue to carry forward from this."
You can nominate someone to be 10tv's Hero of the Day. Just text the word 'hero' to 614-460-3345.
From there, you can fill out a form to tell us all about why that person is a hero.