The New England Patriots have done quite a bit for the region, bringing unparalleled joy to its fans with its dominance on the field over the last 20 years.
And on Thursday, they delivered for the residents of Massachusetts in a more literal sense.
Using the team plane, Patriots owner Robert Kraft picked up more than 1 million N95 protective masks from China and paid about $2,000,000 to help with their costs.
Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker was there at Logan International Airport in Boston as the Pats’ plane landed, and thanked the organization in an emotional speech on behalf of the front line workers in healthcare, emergency management and public safety.
“Jonathan (Kraft), honestly we can’t thank you and your dad and your family enough for answering the call and helping make this happen,” Baker emotionally told team president Jonathan Kraft at the press conference.
“And for the many, many dedicated front line workers across this state who are battling COVID-19 on behalf of the people of Massachusetts every single day, this gear will make an enormous difference.”
The governor mentioned the shipment comes at a crucial time, as the state prepares for critical times in the weeks ahead.
“Now we all talk a lot here in Massachusetts about the Patriot Way, and that means working hard, stepping up and doing your job,” Baker said. “Our job now is to protect each other as we battle this disease together.
“Here in Massachusetts we’ve seen time and again that we work best when we work together.”
(You can watch a condensed version of the video here.)
In other words, there are “No Days Off,” especially during a pandemic.
