With God at Ground Zero

June 1, 2020

A pulmonary/critical care physician volunteers at one of New York City’s hardest-hit hospitals

By Mairead McArdle

June 1, 2020

Dr. Mark Pamer, a past grand knight of Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Council 7514, stands outside Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, N.Y., May 5. He volunteered to serve for a month as a pulmonary specialist in the hospital’s intensive care unit. (Photo by Gregory A. Shemitz)

Dr. Mark Pamer had treated a few coronavirus patients with mild symptoms at his private Florida practice in April, but he felt called to do more. When the pandemic tightened its grip on New York City, he traveled there to volunteer his time and skills as a pulmonary/critical care physician.

“In Florida, I didn’t see anything like the devastation here,” he said in early May, his tone conveying the magnitude of the crisis in the New York communities he was serving. “I had somebody die yesterday; I had somebody die today; I had a guy who almost died right as I was leaving.”

Dr. Pamer left behind his wife and children, including a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, to work for a month at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, beginning April 27.

“I wanted to come help people and live the Gospel, live the sacraments,” said Pamer, a past grand knight of Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Council 7514. “Sometimes you just know you have to go somewhere and help. You feel it in your heart.”

Dr. Pamer was particularly inspired by Christ’s parable of the Last Judgment, in which the king says, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).

“I try to live my life by that passage,” Pamer said.

During normal times, a hospital’s intensive care unit might have between 10 and 20 people on ventilators at a time, Pamer explained. In the worst weeks, Elmhurst had more than 150 people intubated simultaneously, with most of those patients dying from COVID-19.

By the time Dr. Pamer arrived, the number of patients had decreased, but the pandemic was “still raging,” he said. Other sections of the hospital had been converted into ICUs because of the overload of patients who required ventilators and IV drips.

Though physically drained at the end of each grueling workday, Pamer said he received strength from the camaraderie of the staff and especially the other volunteer personnel, who traveled from all over the country to help.

“We’re seeing the best of humanity here,” Pamer affirmed. “God stamps it on our heart to love each other and to help each other.”

Gestures of appreciation were encouraging too — like a flyover by the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, the giant “thank you” sign across the street from the hospital, and people clapping for health care workers when he left work.

But his greatest source of strength has been his faith, his love for his family, and the conviction that this was his vocation.

“This is what I’m made for, and there’s a fountain of energy that keeps me going,” he said. “I feel like I’m doing God’s work.”

*****

MAIREAD McARDLE is a news reporter for National Review Online based in New York City.

Adam Parzuchowski, 21, stands at the site where he rescued a man from a burning vehicle in June.

With God at Ground Zero

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