Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is among the sports stars participating in a national project to recognize and celebrate healthcare workers for their efforts on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The Real Heroes Project" is a collaboration involving Hopkins and athletes from a combined 14 leagues. Others include Saints quarterback Drew Brees, New York Yankees All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge, U.S. women's soccer stars Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan, and Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky.
In the announcement – which was released Wednesday to coincide with National Nurses Day - the Cardinals' All-Pro receiver recognized Tracy Thomas, a nurse at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. She was selected in recognition of the work she is doing leading the COVID-19 response.
In the user-generated video shot from his home, Hopkins placed Thomas' name on the back of his Cardinals jersey before thanking her "and all the men and women making sure our community is safe."
"I am incredibly humbled to be recognized by DeAndre Hopkins, the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL," said Thomas, who began her career in nursing at St. Joseph's in 2006. "My goal as a nurse is to give my patients the best quality of life, and seeing our patients make tremendous recoveries is one of the greatest victories of my life. It is my absolute honor and duty to serve and care for our patients at St. Joseph's. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity to represent all of St. Joseph's healthcare heroes."
