NEW YORK — Nurses all across the US spent the day caring for COVID-19 patients, including one Southeast Texas health care worker.
Tiffany Hatch spent the day doing just that, even though she's thousands of miles from her family in New York on Mother's Day. Her son told 12News even though she's far from home, he's proud of her.
Holidays at the Hatch house are a little different this year.
Chance is Hatch's son, and he says he is concerned about the battle she's facing.
"I really worry that she might not come home some day," Chance said.
She's working at a hospital in New York and says she has been there for almost a month.
"I'm a risk taker but at the same time when God says it's your calling, you step out on faith and you do what he feels you need to do," Hatch said.
Before she left, Chance sent her these words in a video message: "I'm gonna be missing you, we're always going to love you, no matter what happens. You'll always be a hero to me."
She's carried them with her ever since.
"I actually watch the video every night and at moments that I feel that I'm getting discouraged it just touches my heart," Hatch said.
She's a single mom and the change has been hard on her 14-year-old son, but he understands.
"I'm the son of a freaking nurse practitioner and I'm proud of that you're my mom," Chance said.
At one point, Hatch worked 21 straight days. It wasn't easy, but she preserved for her son.
"I'm trying to teach him about risk taking for the right reasons about not being selfish and helping others," Hatch said.
Despite the void at home, Chance knows that soon his mom will be back.
"I would tell her I love her and I'm so happy you're okay and I'm really proud of you and I want you to keep doing what you doing, cause you're the one who does it best," Chance said.
Hatch plans to return to Texas in the next few weeks, but will self-quarantine for 14 days before she's reunited with her son.