It was an emotional moment as the Amherst mom and nurse Kate WAnnemacher gathered with her family and coworkers to watch the Air National Guard flyover salute to Western New York.

Wannemacher, who is a registered nurse, caught the coronavirus in early April and was sick for weeks. 

“It was horrible. I literally sat on my couch for two weeks with my eyes closed, I had no sense of smell, no sense of taste, a terrible headache. It was just horrible, and I don’t get sick. Nurses don’t get sick,” she said.

She works at a nursing home and she’s now fully recovered and back to work.

“Luckily, I had a friend a nurse practitioner and another friend help me out. I had IVs  at home that got me over the hump, and my family supported me, and both my daughters are nurses, and my husband helped me out,” said Wannemacher.

The 914th Air Refueling Wing and the 158 Fighter Wing flew over parts of Western New York to honor workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, like healthcare workers, essential employees and emergency  responders.

Wannemacher says the salute was a very nice gesture.

“Our life has been turned upside down, we’ve all known our fellow nurses who have had Covid, we’ve all have had patients with Covid, we’ve lost patients with Covid,” she said. “And our employees are working their butts off trying to help people get through Covid and help the families of the patients get through Covid. And, to be honored this way, is just very special.”