Cowboys, Charles Haley honor North Texas health care workers

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Cowboys organization and a former player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame took time Monday to honor health care workers at a North Texas hospital.

Nurses and frontline workers at Baylor Scott and White hospital in Fort Worth were recognized for their perseverance in the past year and a half during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Today we are celebrating people who are on the front lines. My daughter Brianna is a nurse, a traveling nurse, so I understand what they have to go through to the great every day," said football legend Charles Haley.

The former player, representatives from the Cowboys and other community partners pulled out the stops for workers like Aimee Burns.

"A friend of mine used to work at Starbucks and was his regular barista," Burns, a speech therapist, said of Haley. 

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Burns had taken a photo with Haley after a game over a decade ago.

"At the end of the game Mr. Haley called my friend up and they met and I got to go out onto the field and it was one of the best days ever," Burns said.

She says his visit to the hospital was a helpful boost.

"Just with everything going on with the recent uptick with COVID, uptick of admissions going on in the hospital, a lot of what we’re calling long haulers, a lot of people aren’t seeing that story yet because it’s still in this building. So yes morale, we are doing all right but events like this really help with the spirits," Burns said.

Autographs from an NFL legend, lunch and t-shirts. It may sound like a small gesture, but at this time during the pandemic it meant a lot.

"It’s been really stressful. A lot of hard work everybody’s having to work extra and work overtime to try to take care of all the patients. Everybody’s morale is still really good. We’re just excited to have the Cowboys come help us celebrate today," said Michelle Stemley, VP patient care.