ORLANDO, Fla. —  For some, caring for others comes naturally. 

What You Need To Know

  • Julia Corbett's sister and sister-in-law work at AdventHealth Orlando
  • Corbett's project helped feed nurses at work for weeks

  • Get more Everday Hero here

Take, for instance, Rachel Knowles, who says that nursing taught her about people and made her a better person. 

Her sister, Julia Corbett, has always been in awe of Knowles, as well as her sister-in-law, Rachel Bellamy, who is also a nurse at the same hospital: AdventHealth in Orlando on East Rollins Street. She wanted to be a nurse since she was in kindergarten. 

And when the coronavirus pandemic struck, Corbett said that the situation “really hit home.”

“We are the second unit in Orlando to be converted to a COVID-19 strictly only floor,” said Bellamy. 

Knowles’ hospital floor absorbed some of Bellamy’s floor’s patients, so doctors could better care for COVID-19 sufferers. 

“You get a patient who is super, super sick and you’re trying to figure out with the doctors, ‘How we treat this?’” explained Bellamy. 

That is why Corbett wanted to offer some comfort to her sisters, and others doing the comforting. 

“As a sister, I’m so proud of them and felt kind of the desire to want to do something. And whenever you’re in doubt, food always helps,” she said. “It’s just a token of love and support in hard times.”

It began with a post on social media, rallying others to donate so Corbett could buy meals for frontline workers “adopting” hospital floors. 

“The first morning I woke up and there was $1,000 in my Venmo and I was shocked,” she said. “Mellow Mushroom in Winter Park, they donated the first meal.”

Anxiety turned to action, as Corbett delivered after meal for three floors of nurses over the course of several weeks. 

“You feel like you’re playing a part and helping during a hard time,” said Corbett. 

The simply gesture meant so much to her family members and their colleagues.  

“That’s honestly on some of the crazy nights what got us through,” said Bellamy. 

Knowles agreed, but said that she was not surprised that Corbett spearheaded a kind initiative when it was needed most. It’s in her nature, she explained. 

“I love it, she’s always been a super generous and open-hearted person,” Knowles said. 

“I’d definitely call her a hero,” said Bellamy.