posted at 12:30pm: A Filipino nurse based in New York, Menchu Sanchez, was hailed by US President Barack Obama as a modern-day hero in his State of the Union address today for her selfless act of watching over infants in her care at the height of Superstorm Sandy even as her own house was submerged in flood.
From abclocal.go.com: “NYU nurse singled out in State of the Union by Jim Dolan
“New York (WABC) — During his State of the Union Address, President Obama singled out a hospital nurse in New York who, during Superstorm Sandy, jumped into action and saved the lives of newborns.
“It was some shout out from the President Tuesday night.
“ “We should follow the example of a New York City nurse named Menchu Sanchez,” President Obama said.
“Menchu Sanchez sat right next to the First Lady at the State of the Union address and the spotlight was mighty bright, especially compared to where this story starts, it was, a dark and stormy night.
“The first time two-month-old Andrew Blanco ever saw the outside of a hospital was in the depth of Superstorm Sandy.
“The machines that had kept Andrew alive suddenly went silent, the lights went out and if Andrew and 19 other infants were to survive, the nurses and doctors at NYU Langone would have to get them down nine flights of stairs, to safety.
“Andrew’s mom was racing to the hospital.
“A nation held its breath as the pictures aired live on Eyewitness News and across the country.
“One critically ill infant at a time, those nurses and doctors made the journey, one step at a time, as they later reenacted it for ABC’s “20/20”.
LikhaDiwa (the creative spirit, my translation, see Likha Diwa,with apologies) vegetarian restaurant invites you to a celebration tomorrow of the birth anniversary of national hero Andres Bonifacio.
[Note for the worldwide audience: Andres Bonifacio is the founder of the revolutionary movement against the Spanish colonizers, the Katipunan (the League), also known as the Kataastaasan (Supreme), Kagalanggalangan (Honorable) Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (League of the Sons and Daughters of the People) (KKK).]
[Coincidentally, LikhaDiwa, is partly located in Krus na Ligas, an area said to be one of the secret meeting places of the Katipunan a century ago. It is said that there’s an ancient acacia tree there (or there once stood an ancient acacia tree there) where the Katipuneros regrouped after a battle with Spaniard colonial soldiers, and conspired and organized against the Spanish colonizers.]
[When i was legal counsel of U.P., it was pointed out to me that the land area used to be under the title of U.P. but after decades of negotiations, the U.P. administration decided to grant it (by a deed of sale for one peso) to the proven long-time residents who have been rooted there longer than U.P. has, based on historical records and accounts; and also to honor the historical contribution of the long-time residents or their grandparents to the Philippine revolution.]
Here’s the text-invite:
KKK: Kainan Kantahan Kasiyahan (healthy eating, hearty singing, revolutionary merrymaking, translation by blog admin with apologies) bukas nang Friday (tomorrow Friday) 6pm to 9pm Likha Diwa. Musika ni Diwa de Leon, atbp (Music by Diwa de Leon and other artistst). Buffet P200/person. Pls call 9255522 or text 0917- 532-0929. Tnx!
