Last year, at a minute to midnight on New Years Eve, I studied her face as she slept on my shoulder.

Her 12 hour shift became longer and so Frankie and I changed out of our sparkly outfits and into our onesies.

As we watched friends on Facebook dance into 2019, Frankie and I snuggled under the blanket with our real life Superhero.

We can only imagine her day, from the stories she tells, when she comes home to us.

The toddler whose trolley tipped over on a bus.
The motorcyclist who came off his bike on a sharp bend.
The elderly woman with Alzheimer’s who fell and broke her hip bone.
The intoxicated teenager who was rushed to A&E to have his stomach pumped.
The little boy with bite marks to his neck and face from a family dog.
The bleeding man who had been glassed by a stranger in a pub on a night out.

Every time I watch her clean her boots and tie her laces, an incredible amount of love and admiration for her pours over me.

This year we saw in the new year together, safe and warm in our new home.

Little did we know that this time last year was the beginning of a year like no other.

Only a few weeks later, strangers would stand on their doorsteps and applaud her, local restaurants and bakeries would deliver free food to her station and she would put her life in danger on a level like none before.

This year I believe things will gradually get back to the new normal but I sincerely hope that no one ever forgets the bravery and sacrifices that frontline workers make in order to keep us safe.

I know we won’t.

03/03/2021