Healthcare 'superheroes' from around the world share their COVID-19 stories

CHICAGO -- As hospitals continue to fill up with COVID-19 patients, one Chicago doctor wanted people to know what it was like for healthcare workers on the frontlines.

So, resident Anwar Jebran and his friend, Sara Amiri, started the Healthcare Heroes Project, a platform dedicated to sharing the stories of health care workers from around the world.

"We really think that every aspect of their life is inspirational," Amiri said.

"They are all superheroes in their own ways, so these stories that they share are like pieces of a comic book," Jebran added.

Amiri, Jebran and their team of editors have helped tell stories from healthcare workers in cities like Chicago, Milwaukee and New York. They've even received entries from healthcare workers in Italy, France, Romania and Morocco.

"Because we also speak multiple languages so it's been easier to capture stories and translate them," Amiri said. "We get stories in French, Arabic, Spanish and we're able to translate them."

For many, this is a chance to connect with other people going through a similar situation.

"I was reading the stories and they were so inspirational," Chicago nurse Brittney Riedel said. "They reminded me that I wasn't alone."

And for others, it's an opportunity to help curb false information regarding COVID-19.

"I hope that people get a serious understanding of how serious this situation can actually be," anesthesiology resident Charles Penn said. "There's still a long road ahead."