Meet Michelle, a Lubbock Rock Star Fighting Coronavirus for You

Last week, FMX began to recognize our local heroes who are in the field, home-classroom, or hospitals working to fight COVID-19 and keep us all safe.

This week, we begin recognizing local heroes individually online to keep spirits high and encourage them on days when they may be doubting if they are making a difference. In other words, we want to treat them like a Rock Star!

Meet Michelle Phillips

Michelle is our first FMX Local Rock Star being recognized for her efforts working on the front line in order to screen and test individuals for COVID-19. I've named Michelle our first FMX Local Rock Star for several reasons, but the most important reason is that she is one of my closest friends and has been since we were teenagers.

Michelle is a special person, normally working in the UMC clinic inside of the South Plains Mall, which was recently closed due to a lack of patients coming in due to fear of contracting or spreading the novel coronavirus. Her heart is too big for this world, and if not for people like her, who are willing to sacrifice for others, we would certainly be lost as a community.

Since the UMC drive-thru screening station was established, Michelle has spent her time with many others outdoors, braving the weather, administering tests, and reassuring those who drive through that everything is going to be alright.

I recently asked Michelle how people have been treating the staff at the drive-thru screening location and I was surprised to hear that so far everyone that she and the screening squad have encountered has been extraordinarily pleasant. Sadly, that is beginning to change as the stay-at-home orders and worries of financial impacts are starting to really settle into all of our minds. But she is determined to stand her ground and help to win this fight.

Michelle leaves her husband and her son every day in order to fight this virus and keep our community safe. She's missing out on the extra time most of us are getting to spend with family while we practice social distancing and observe the local stay-at-home order. She is a leader within the medical community and our Lubbock community.

Michelle, We Salute You! YOU are a Rock Star!

Thank you for being a local hero and more importantly thank you for being my long-time friend and one of the only people I trust to see my kids when they need medical attention.