INDIANAPOLIS — Brittney Jones works as a nurse case manager on the renal/metabolic unit at IU Health Methodist Hospital. Jones does not care directly for COVID patients but still got sick.
"I got COVID back in November and I actually gave it to my son,” said Jones, a wife and mother of a 2-year-old. “My husband tested negative, but I'm pretty certain he had it too, and it was rough. I worked every single day while I was home."
Jones will carry on the pandemic tradition of health care workers performing the national anthem at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. She will sing a cappella before the GMR Grand Prix Saturday. Her late grandfather worked for the town of Speedway and used to take her to the Indy 500.
"To be able to do this is huge,” said Jones. “It's just so much meaning as a health care worker to have this honor, as well as the fact that, of course, my grandpa loves the speedway. He loves America. So, it's just a lot of emotion coming in."
Her colleagues at the hospital convinced Jones to originally submit a video audition to sing the national anthem for the men's NCAA basketball Final Four for in Indianapolis in April. When she wasn't picked, she forgot about it, until she was contacted May 3 and asked to sing at the GMR Grand Prix.
More than a decade has passed since Jones performed with choirs at Avon High School. She has never sung the national anthem for an event. She reconnected with her vocal coach from high school to tune up for singing the anthem.
The GMR Grand Prix starts at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 15 on Channel 13.