When watching Chernobyl Episode 3, the thing that shocked me most was the demeanor and actions of the coal miners. When the coal miners arrived to dig that relief tunnel to prevent a more massive catastrophe from occurring in the city, they seemed to not waver in their willingness to put their own lives on the line to save others. The willingness these coal miners had to go out and do their jobs regardless of the dangers, all while having an attitude of “who else will do it if not me?” commands a great deal of admiration for their courage. When witnessing other daunting times in human history, it is evident that this attitude can manifest in the most severe of circumstances when needed, but only in those strong enough to step up and sacrifice for the greater good.

During the pandemic, I noticed this occurred with many of the essential and healthcare workers. Despite most of these laborers working sans-hazard pay, many still showed up to work to keep the economy running. Similarly, I remember hearing a story on the news about a woman who had just retired from working in a hospital before widespread COVID-19 hospitalizations hit New York State. She came out of retirement to help the hospital during the most overstressed times in recent months. A piece of adage says that a crisis can bring out the best in humanity or the worst. However, within both this movie and the current catastrophe, we are thankfully seeing much more of the better sides of humankind shine through the dark rain clouds above us.