((PKG)) ALONE TOGETHER -- FEARS   
((TRT: 07:38)) 
((Topic Banner: Alone Together: Fears)) 
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Grover, Vero Balderas)) 
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))  
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Cherokee, North 
Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina))   
((Main characters: 6 female; 3 male))  
((Text on Screen: As COVID-19 ravaged the United States, it 
brought with it fear.))   
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, Cherokee, 
North Carolina)) 
My name Sheyahshe Littledave. I work at Cherokee Indian 
Hospital on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina.  
When COVID-19 first came on the scene, I had actually a lot of 
fears and a lot of anxiety. And initially, a lot of the concerns were 
around older people who are more at risk. So, I immediately had 
fears, anxiety about my parents, especially my dad. My dad's 
really high risk. So, I was very adamant about, “You don't go 
anywhere. You wear your mask.” I'm sure I probably got on their 
nerves, but I felt like, in that moment, that was the only thing I 
could control. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Kevin Mahoney, Peer Support Specialist, Mountain Area 
Health Education Center, Asheville, North Carolina))  
I’m vaccinated. I’m still ultra-cautious; two masks, social distance. 
I don’t go out. I don’t go to restaurants. That’s in the interest of 
public safety. I've had five bypasses of my heart, two years ago. 
You know, coagulation issues, because COVID causes your 
blood vessels that react strangely. Terrified each day like if I get it, 
I'm not, I don't think I'm going to make it. So, extensive anxiety, 
fear of death, and fear of, you know, losing loved ones and 
friends. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina))  
My name is Nicole McKinney. I’m a paramedic with Buncombe 
County EMS [Emergency Medical Services] in Asheville, North 
Carolina.  
In the very beginning, a lot of people were scared. And so, we 
saw a significant decline as far as like people calling 911. And I 
think that was bad in a way because people were scared to go to 
the ER [Emergency Room], but they know that they needed help. 
But then, they were waiting like almost too long. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, Virginia))  
My name is Henry Johnson. I am a peer recovery specialist in 
Fairfax, Virginia.  
I am in recovery for serious mental illness myself. I am more 
vulnerable to uncertainty and anxiety due to not knowing. I have 
been terrified of mutations. From the very beginning, when I heard 
of the option to, you know, mass expose and achieve herd 
immunity that way, that caused me nightmares. The idea that this 
vaccine isn't going to be enough, that's what keeps me up at 
night. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia))  
I'm Sherrie Arnold. I'm 57 years old and mother of a 15-year-old 
daughter. I've worked in information technology in my 
professional career.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
And I'm Dave Arnold, parent of the same 15-year-old daughter 
and I'm a professional French-trained chef and instructor.  
Both sets of our parents are right in the demographic where if 
they do get sick, it's going to be a very tough road for them to 
handle. 
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Losing my father in January, that was my worst fear, you know, 
for the elderly people in our family.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
The worst fears for me is I contract it and don't make it and I’ll 
leave wife and child behind. That’s my worst nightmare.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Catherine Lieberman, Director, Bell's School, Asheville, 
North Carolina))  
My name is Catherine Lieberman. I’m an early educator.  
My husband is a teacher and was exposed by students who 
refuse to wear masks. And the result was that he got sick. And I 
thought that was the worst of it until recently, until last week. I 
thought, maybe, we were gonna come out the other side. And we 
lost a cousin to coronavirus. And that was my biggest fear and it 
was realized. To watch my cousin go through this with her very 
young children, that was my biggest fear, was losing someone 
and it’s been realized. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Emotions are a lot right now to deal with because it's so hard to 
deal with this. We never would have thought this would ever 
happen before. We weren’t prepared and we didn't know how we 
were going to feel about it. Sometimes, it's like I'm stuck. I have 
10 assignments that are missing, and everything's due in two 
weeks, and I have no clue what to do. I'm stuck. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Angela Conner, Senior Therapist Supervisor, 
Alexandria City Community Services, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Angela Conner, licensed professional counselor. I work for 
Alexandria City Community Services, Child and Family Behavioral 
Health Services.  
I think teenagers feel more anxiety now.  
They no longer have their face-to-face peer interactions. They no 
longer have their safe places to go. They no longer have teachers 
or counselors or their support systems to outreach to. More so, 
it’s just the therapist and it’s virtual, which makes it, you know, 
super stressful. You know, a lot of teenagers have lost people 
because of COVID. And that's brought about a lot of challenges 
for them to function. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina)) 
With this job, you're headfirst into it.  
So, it's, you're fearful at work, but then you don't want to take it 
home. So, you're doing everything that you can to make sure that 
that doesn't happen. But unfortunately, it still does happen 
sometimes. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, Cherokee, 
North Carolina)) 
I think what's helped is just how we've adapted over time. And 
everybody keeps calling it, you know, the new normal. But the 
new normal is kind of, it's comforting for me, because, you know, I 
know what the expectations are. And I know, you know, wear your 
masks and wash your hands, you know. I am comforted by the 
guidelines and things now just because, you know, we are a little 
more settled into this. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, Virginia)) 
One of the things that decreases my anxiety is unplugging. I 
found that taking time off, not watching the news, you know, 
multiple hours a day, you know, doing things like listening to 
music or meditating, you know, they help a lot more. I've read 
quite a bit and I've gotten into audio books. You know, escaping 
to other worlds rather than just dwelling on the imperfect present.  
((NATS/MUSIC))