Pennsylvania TSA Agent Going Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty, Helping Senior Citizens Schedule COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
JOHNSTOWN (KDKA) -- TSA officers are known for helping keep people safe when they travel at our area airports, but one local officer is taking an extra step to keep people safe -- by helping dozens and dozens of seniors schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
Donna LaMonaca is a Supervisory TSA Officer at Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, who has recently helped more than 60 senior citizens schedule appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccinations and even drives some of them to receive their shots.
LaMonaca initially helped some of her elderly relatives make appointments who didn't have computers. That led to some of their friends asking for her help as well.
Helping people with this has become second nature for LaMonaca, with more than 50 people securing appointments over the past three weeks.
LaMonaca sets alarms in the middle of the night for 12:30 a.m., 2:30 a.m., and 4:30 a.m. because she has found those to be the times that new appointments are made available through vaccination sites and local pharmacies.
With her family computer, laptop, three cell phones, and three tablets, LaMonaca logs in to enter information for the senior citizens who have reached out to her.
"I'm computer savvy, I can type fast and I'll get up in the middle of the night when the appointments are posted online," LaMonaca says.
LaMonaca has worked for TSA for nearly 20 years and says she takes naps after her shifts at the airport to catch up on sleep.
"A lot of the seniors who I've helped give me a phone number of a friend," LaMonaca explains. "They are usually high-risk seniors, maybe someone who has cancer. I get them an appointment and I drive some of them to their appointments when I have the day off. I've driven the two hours to Pittsburgh probably five times," LaMonaca said.
"I'm happy to help. One woman called me afterward. She was so happy she had her vaccines because she said she could finally see her grandchildren and give them their Christmas gifts," she says.
LaMonaca says her 13-year-old son helps her make appointments and also helps when they take people to get their shots.
"He uses a checklist of what they need to bring such as photo ID, insurance card, and he helps them fill out paperwork before we get there to speed up the process. He's a good egg and he's putting a lot into this too. It's sweet to see him walk the older ladies in" for their appointments and "help them with their coats, and sit and talk with them while we wait," LaMonaca says.
"Donna has a big heart and a genuine compassion for others," said Karen Keys Turner, TSA's Federal Security Director for the region.
"Her dedication to her community is admirable. She serves as a role model for her fellow TSA officers because she is someone who leads by example. I'm sure she has instilled in her children these same values of the importance of stepping up and giving of your time and energy to help others in need."
