Life

A 24-Year-Old ICU Nurse's COVID-19 Experience | Complex World

ICU nurse KP Mendoza tells Complex what it's like on the front lines of NYC's battle against COVID-19.

For the latest episode of Complex World, we turn to the story of KP Mendoza, a nurse who's on the front lines of COVID-19 in New York City.

"I am a 24-year-old guy who happens to be a nurse here in New York during the time of a pandemic," Mendoza shares in the interview, available up top in full. "I knew it would be tough . . . I knew it would be hard because I would publicly see a lot of people dying. I just didn't think I'd see this many people dying."

As Mendoza explains, his morning routine includes waking up to "dread and panic," followed by a commute to work that he spends attempting to zone out by listening to music on headphones. Once he arrives at work each day, Mendoza says, "There is a sense of tension more so than anything else."

KP has also spoken about his front lines experience on social media, revealing in a recent post that—due to death being "statistically more plausible than I had previously imagined"—he had considered writing a will.

"Death is different now," he said. "Death could pick me."

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