DENVER — Sarah Gomez-Marwitz loves delivering good news to people she's never met.
"We're all part of the same community," she said.
For weeks, Gomez-Marwitz has been helping seniors find COVID-19 vaccine appointments. It started when she secured a spot for her dad.
"He’s special to everybody. I just want to keep them safe. I know they live for their grandkids," Gomez-Marwitz said.
Word quickly spread to her parent's friends and their friends. Soon, she was receiving calls and emails from desperate seniors having trouble booking their vaccine appointments. Robert Haddock saw Gomez-Marwitz in action and was blown away.
"Sarah got appointments for people in Pueblo and I've talked to people in Longmont, she’s gotten appointments for," Haddock said. "She downplays how much she really has done. These people are just — they’re ecstatic, they really are."
The system can be confusing for anyone. Appointments are often available through provider websites, but seniors must sign up and they have to act fast. They have run into several issues.
"Sometimes, it’s access to technology or knowing how to use technology or understanding all of the information and putting it all together to figure out how to get on a list or how to book an appointment somewhere else," Gomez-Marwitz said. "Then, the other issue is confusion about the information that’s out there."
Gomez-Marwitz's goodwill is not lost on the people she has helped. Phone calls and emails of appreciation continue to pour in. She has turned away payments and gift cards, but there is one payment she will accept.
"I’d rather people pay it forward. You never know how you can help somebody," Gomez-Marwitz said.
She does it without expecting anything in return, Haddock said.
"What she told me when several people asked me why is she doing this, she said, 'Why wouldn’t I do it?'" Haddock said.
Molly Hendrickson anchors Denver7 in the mornings from 4:30-7 a.m. She also features a different 7Everyday Hero each week on Denver7. Follow Molly on Facebook here and Twitter here. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.
