Gabby Leveratto ’16 used to spend her days contracted out to high schools in the Seattle, Washington area as an Athletic Trainer. With most high school sports shut down, the former Chapman softball player now works for Seattle Children’s Hospital in one of the most impacted cities in America, putting herself on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic every day.

One of Gabby’s main roles is to screen families and employees prior to entering the building, asking them a set of questions before they are allowed to enter the hospital. She also spends some of her time working in Central Supply, filling and delivering order requests for all departments of the hospital. One role Gabby has kept throughout the pandemic is that of an in-patient CPR instructor. When a patient is preparing to be discharged, Gabby teaches their parents how to perform CPR so they can feel more comfortable being at home with their child who may be at risk for cardiovascular problems.

Gabby recalls back to the third or fourth week of the shelter in place order, hearing the city of Seattle yelling, banging pans or ringing bells at 8 p.m. for an entire week to show support for those working on the front lines. She says she has also noticed a rise in the number of “thank you’s” she receives when wearing her Seattle Children’s Hospital shirts after work.

Gabby says she draws on the tough times as a softball player to push her through this pandemic. “It makes me think of all those days and weeks during season when we’re practicing late or getting home late from games and I still had to stay up and get school work done…I had to get it done so I did.” She is willing to help in whatever way she can so that the children at her hospital can feel safe. “The hospital needs help and I’m an able body.”