LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — This week marks the one-year anniversary of the first reported COVID-19 case in Luzerne County.
County Manager David Pedri says a lot was going on in his mind the day he got the call.
"We had to get the information out to the public as best we possibly could," explained Pedri. "But I originally start thinking of my parents, I started thinking of my elderly neighbors, I thought thinking of my kids, and where we're going to go next."
Pedri is thankful we know a lot more about the virus now than we did a year ago when the future was looking grim.
"Obviously, we've lost over 730 members here in Luzerne County, we've lost neighbors, we've lost friends, people have been affected by this, but there is light at the end of the tunnel," said Pedri. "This vaccine is coming to play here in Luzerne County people are getting smarter with everything that we're doing."
The area of the county arguably hit the hardest by the pandemic was Hazleton. Newswatch 16 asked Mayor Jeff Cusat what stood out to him the most over the last year.
"I really think that the whole pandemic made the city stronger and united us," said Cusat. "You know, when I came out, and I asked everybody to stay home, to stay off the streets, you know everybody came together and said you know we want our city to be healthy and safe, and they did so I really think that that was one of the things that brought the city closer together and helped us unite."
Small grocery owner Robert Tarone in Hazleton says without support from the county or his customers, he wouldn't have celebrated his business's 80th anniversary last week at his store on Alter Street.
"Customers, they can't give them more than any praise. I mean, they stuck with this through thick and thin," said Tarone. "We have customers that their parents shopped here, and they're still here."
"In addition to support for our first responders, the people who are working at our hospitals, the people who the police officers on the streets, the paramedics, the grocery workers, everybody out there really doing their part was really when it came down to it, you know, he saw it in Luzerne County from day one," added Pedri.
Tarone says he saw it firsthand throughout the year and is extremely grateful.
"So I thank those people for taking care of the little guys because the little guys are usually forgotten. Very much so, thank you," said Tarone.