WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida International University student spent part of his spring semester on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in an out-of-state hot spot, taking on a role that will prepare him for a career in the medical field.
The spread of the virus has made going to college more complicated, but for sophomore Dylan Hinton, it has been even more drastically different.
“It was kind of a nerve-racking experience,” he said.
Hinton, a biology major and member of the Army Reserve, spent two months of his spring semester as a medic in New Jersey.
“I got a call from my commander one night saying, ‘Hey, there are situations going on in the Northeast area. We’re going to need you to be sent over,'” he said.
Hinton said he was ready to answer the call to action, but his parents were a little caught off-guard.
“One thing I always remember is that the day he told me that he was leaving, that he was leaving the next day, I was very — I was like, ‘Really?'” said his mother, Diana Hinton.
Despite their initial concern for their son’s safety, Hinton’s mother and father said they couldn’t be prouder.
“I just realized this is something that he’s meant to do, and it’s something he has a passion for,” said Diana.
“Sometimes you just have to put things in God’s hands and let it roll,” said his father, Brian Hinton.
Hinton and the other members of his task force spent most of their time helping the staff at University Hospital in Newark.
“It really humbles you when you see those types of losses,” he said.
Even on days where he would work 12-hour shifts, Hinton never let it stall his studies.
“I would go from my shift at the hospital, back to the hotel room where we were staying, complete my work, wake up the next day and just continue it all over again,” he said.
Hinton and his team left the hospital in May, but he said everything he’s learned will stay with him as he pursues his goal of becoming a doctor.
“I’ll always keep these memories and experiences and what I’ve learned from this experience onward,” he said. “It was just a wonderful learning experience.”
Hinton said he does not know where he will be sent to next, but he’s ready to serve whenever he’s needed.
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