The Proposal

For 114 days the only way Mary Daniel could see her husband was through a window. Steve, an Alzheimer's patient in Jacksonville, doesn’t understand about the coronavirus pandemic. He doesn’t know his memory care facility is closed to all but essential employees. He only knew Mary wasn’t there anymore. It made him inexpressibly sad. When a dishwasher position came open, the care center offered it to Mary, who jumped at the chance. "I told them, 'I'm gonna be the best dishwasher you ever had. I want to be here. I need to be with him.'" Since July 3, Mary has been scrubbing dishes, mopping floors and cleaning the kitchen. “I did a COVID test, a TB test, a drug test, and 20 hours of video training," she said. But it’s all worth it, because after her shift she can be with Steve. He recognizes her, even with her mask. “When he said my name, we both cried.”