ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Emergency medicine doctors that are in residency at the University of Michigan received some words of encouragement this morning. These residents are working 80-100 hours per week on the front lines, tirelessly fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roughly 100 residents and other doctors meet every Wednesday for a lecture. During the pandemic, it's conducted virtually through Zoom. This week, the group was joined by two special surprise guests. Michigan football defensive coordinator Don Brown and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis joined the call to show their support — on behalf of the football team — for the efforts of the frontline workers.

Department of Emergency Medicine instructor Dr. Nathan Haas — with the help of his colleague, U-M football team physician Dr. Kylee Phillips — was able to set up the surprise visit.

"Coach Gattis offered his support and said how much he appreciated the hard work they’re putting in," Haas told The Wolverine. "He said he’s thinking about those of us on the front lines, amidst the COVID pandemic, and he’s appreciative of the hard work that’s going in.

"Coach Brown echoed those [sentiments]. Just again, he’s appreciative. He called our residents the ‘heroes in our community,’ which I think is awesome."

Haas has received several positive texts from residents on the call already today. Safe to say, the messages from Brown and Gattis were well received and will used as a "morale booster" going forward.

"I think it’s cool when they understand that the hard work they’re putting in is being recognized by leaders in our community, in our university," Haas said.

"I think it’s just a nice pick-me-up and a nice reminder of what they do matters. I think it’s always encouraging to hear from people like our coaches, who we look up to and admire and respect in so many different ways.

"It’s cool that people we normally look up to as heroes flip the script."

Despite physical separation, there's been a coming together in the university community and the community in Ann Arbor during these difficult times, Haas says. Brown and Gattis offering their support is just one of many examples.

"It’s awesome to see that, this attitude of, ‘We’re all in this together,’ across our community," Haas said. "I think Ann Arbor and our university community has responded really well to this crisis that we’re facing. It’s banded together. Folks from all different backgrounds and job families and walks of life are pulling their weight in different ways and contributing in different ways and it’s cool to see how our community has come together."

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