Inspiring stories of human resilience in the past to get us through COVID-19 now

By Maddie Gadbaw ‘21

Communities all around the world are being challenged with COVID-19. As health and essential workers risk their health by going into work, people are isolating at home to prevent the spread of this virus. 

As citizens all over the globe are tested with the challenges that come with this new reality, it is important to remember the resilience of people in the past to overcome hardship as inspiration during these trying times.

Sandy Young, Stuart Young, Holly Gadbaw, Jim Gadbaw, and Karol Hardin join CatlinSpeak to share their stories of triumphs of the human spirit. 

Jim Gadbaw - Jim lived in Washington where he was an OB-GYN doctor. During the Vietnam war he went to a US base in Turkey as a medic. 

Holly Gadbaw - Holly grew up in Wisconsin during a polio outbreak that affected both her family and friends. Holly went to college in Wisconsin before moving to Washington where she became the mayor of Olympia. 

Stuart Young - Stuart was the superintendent of Kobe International School when the Great Hanshin Earthquake hit Kobe, Japan. He was in charge of over 500 Japanese, American, and international students and families during the aftermath of the earthquake. 

Sandy Young - Sandy was a teacher at Kobe International School. While the school looked after over 500 people, she helped organize and feed each family. 

Karol Hardin - Karol was born in Minnesota and grew up through the aftermath of both World War II and the Great Depression. She also lived through the polio epidemic. 

Communities all around the world are being challenged with COVID-19. As health and essential workers risk their health by going into work, people are isolating at home to prevent the spread of this virus.  As citizens all over the globe are tested with the challenges that come with this new reality, it is important to remember the resilience of people in the past to overcome hardship as inspiration during these trying times.