{"id":1792,"date":"2020-06-22T20:18:50","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T20:18:50","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2021-08-03T16:33:38","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T16:33:38","slug":"the-champs-of-summer-2020-david-and-chris-shunkwiler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourstories.shinola.com\/our-stories\/the-champs-of-summer-2020-david-and-chris-shunkwiler\/","title":{"rendered":"The Champs of Summer 2020: David and Chris Shunkwiler"},"content":{"rendered":"

But for the first time in a long time, they found themselves separated. It wasn\u2019t because of summer vacations, busy schedules, or growing families. It was for their own safety\u2014and the safety of their loved ones. Suddenly, David and Chris were two brothers thrust onto the frontlines of a global pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

David has been a nurse in the ICU at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit for nearly 10 years. Chris is a produce associate at Westborn Market in Dearborn. Both were serving their communities the same way they have for years when everything changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed not to be serious at first, but then it all happened so fast,\u201d David recalls. In the ICU, plans, recommendations and procedures changed from day to day to adapt to new information about the coronavirus and the influx of patients. The struggle to stay organized in the chaos hit hard. Wrangling with PPE\u2014or the lack of it\u2014became an everyday challenge. \u201cIt was kind of scary when they were telling us we might not have enough masks, gloves, gowns.\u201d They used what they could to keep everyone safe. \u201cI don\u2019t know where they found some of these gowns,\u201d he laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Chris, adapting to the new rules and regulations during the initial rush was something he\u2019ll never forget. He picked up shifts for those who couldn\u2019t work, helping wave after wave of guests while keeping them as safe as possible. Simply looking around the store spoke volumes. Masks, gloves, plexiglass shields and screens abounded\u2014but what struck him most was the look of fear. \u201cEveryone that came in was scared, nervous. If you just looked at someone, it felt like they were going to get sick.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Because they served their communities at such vital touchpoints, they worried that they might bring the virus home to their families. They followed social distancing guidelines strictly, staying apart\u2014and they soon learned that no matter the circumstances, distance is no match for the strength of the human spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brothers are effusive in describing the outpouring of support they received, both from family and complete strangers. \u201cEveryone stepped up, bringing us masks, gloves, whatever kind of PPE we needed. People were bringing us food all the time, sending care packages,\u201d says David. \u201cIt lifted everyone\u2019s spirits.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Friends and family called with words of encouragement, checking in when they couldn\u2019t be there in person. Chris recalls with admiration a regular customer who came into the market early on with 40 handmade masks, passing them out to the employees. \u201cShe wanted to contribute however she could.\u201d The brothers find hope and optimism in the sight of everyone rallying to do their part. \u201cIt was cool to see how much people were willing to give,\u201d David says.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked who their own personal Champs are, the brothers point straight to their parents, both of whom are nurses. \u201cDad was always right there at the front door with the [disinfectant wipes],\u201d laughs Chris. As the dean of nursing at Henry Ford College\u2019s School of Health and Human Services, Dr. Susan Shunkwiler was coordinating virtual learning for nursing students in this crucial time in their careers\u2014all while still looking out for Chris and David, even dropping off cookies and food. Chris also shouted out to the Westborn Market managers. \u201cWe were working 6 or 7 days a week for two months,\u201d coordinating to make sure guests could get what they needed to stay healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through it all, the brothers maintain that they are \u201cjust doing their jobs\u201d\u2014it just so happens that they\u2019re doing them during a global pandemic. While they\u2019re in the spotlight for being two of our Champs of Summer 2020, they want to generate support for the Henry Ford College Student Nurse Association<\/a>, for the incredible adapting, learning, and donating they\u2019ve done since the beginning of the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris and David\u2019s humility, determination, and willingness to roll up their sleeves and get the job done are why we\u2019re honored to call them Champs.<\/span><\/p>\n

This interview is part of a series highlighting everyday Americans who have risen extraordinarily to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014the Champs of Summer 2020. As a thank-you to the essential workers on the front line, we\u2019re building our limited-edition Champ Detrola as a gift of gratitude. Proceeds go to the Healthcare Workers Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation for Southwest Michigan. Learn more about the Champ and how you can help <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

But for the first time in a long time, they found themselves separated. It wasn\u2019t because of summer vacations, busy schedules, or growing families. It was for their own safety\u2014and the safety of their loved ones. Suddenly, David and Chris were two brothers thrust onto the frontlines of a global pandemic. David has been a […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[7],"yoast_head":"\nThe Champs of Summer 2020: David and Chris Shunkwiler - Our Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ourstories.shinola.com\/our-stories\/the-champs-of-summer-2020-david-and-chris-shunkwiler\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Champs of Summer 2020: David and Chris Shunkwiler - Our Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"But for the first time in a long time, they found themselves separated. It wasn\u2019t because of summer vacations, busy schedules, or growing families. 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