WESTFIELD, Ind. — The pandemic has made 2020 a tough year for us all, especially frontline workers. But Friday was a little brighter for one nurse, thanks to a good friend and a set of new wheels.
Mazda is marking it's 100th anniversary by giving back to those who have given their all. The carmaker is highlighting 50 selfless individuals who have done heroic things for their communities.
As a reward, the hometown heroes receive a Mazda MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Special Edition car.
Rachel Elliott, a transplant and ER nurse in Indianapolis was nominated by her friend Eric Griffen.
"She loves so many and deserves our love," Griffen said in his nomination video. "(She) has gone above and beyond to provide care during the pandemic."
Elliott got the keys to her new car during an event at Tom Roush Mazda in Westfield Friday.
"I wasn't expecting this," Elliott said. "Unbelievable. Never won something this amazing before."
She called the feeling of being honored "indescribable."
"When I found out, I was in so much shock. I thought, 'This would never happen to me' and I felt very honored that, not only did my best friend nominate me, but also honored because I don't do this work alone. I do it with an amazing team," Elliott said.
She has worked in the ICU for ten years and is used to working with very sick patients, but said the pandemic has been very different.
"The hardest part for me is the patients don't have familiy available to them in the hospital," she said. "So most of the time, it's the nurse that spends hours on end with them. In years past, they have as much family and visitors and friends that they can be surrounded by in those last days."
Elliott said she comes from a family of medical professionals, including her grandfather who was a physician at IU Health Methodist Hospital and her mother, who retired from Methodist after 40 years. She also has a sister and an aunt who are nurses.
But it's another family trait that Elliott said makes the gift from Mazda special.
"My dad passed on a lead foot to me, so hopefully I won't speed too much."