NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A Brooklyn nurse who was on the frontlines of New York City's coronavirus battle has been named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
Amy O'Sullivan is an 18-year veteran emergency room nurse at Wyckoff Hospital.
O'Sullivan treated the hospital's first COVID-19 patient, who later became New York City's first coronavirus death.
"The first COVID patient in Brooklyn, she was my patient," O'Sullivan told TIME.
Days later, O'Sullivan contracted the virus herself and was put on a ventilator. The moment she recovered, she put her scrubs back on and got back to work less than two weeks later.
"I'm meant to be here," O'Sullivan said.
She was profiled in the magazine by veteran journalist Katie Couric.
O'Sullivan graces one of eight covers that TIME has released to mark this year's list. Other covers feature National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, performer Megan Thee Stallion, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, musical artist The Weeknd, actress Gabrielle Union and athlete Dwyane Wade, and the President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen.
President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and Sen Kamala Harris are among the political leaders featured on the list.
"While you will certainly find people who wield traditional power on this year's list—heads of state, CEOs, major entertainers—it also includes many extraordinary, lesser-known individuals who seized the moment to save lives, build a movement, lift the spirit, repair the world," said TIME CEO and editor in chief Edward Felsenthal.