Santa Clarita Valley resident Shie Rozow created his own rendition of the classic “Auld Lang Syne” during the holiday season to give thanks and pay tribute to health care workers and those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A music composer and editor, Rozow said music can bring people together, ease pain and create a sense of happiness. So he decided to take what he knows best and create a video showing heartfelt images of health care workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, which he put together with his rendition of the song that “honors people who were lost this year.”
“These amazing people spend their lives taking care of us,” he said. “Whether it’s a sprained foot, or a heart attack or a car crash — and now we’re in this pandemic, so despite what (people) think about it, they show up every day and risk their lives to take care of us.”
At the beginning of the pandemic when stay-at-home orders were first implemented and businesses were forced to shut down, Rozow brought together more than 80 musicians to create a virtual symphony as a way to lift people’s spirits during a time he described as “a time many people feel hopeless.”
As the holiday season approached and COVID-19 cases increased dramatically across the country, Rozow decided to make a second video, but due to lack of time, it would only be him performing.
“I had taken a video of myself singing and my kids joining in, singing with me, but then I decided that this video wasn’t about me,” Rozow said. “It was about the people who have worked tirelessly to help the people who need it most.”
That’s when Rozow had the idea to create a slideshow of photos showing health care workers at the front lines of the pandemic. Many photos show doctors and nurses aiding those who had severe symptoms of the virus and comforting one another.
“My voice was already in the video — my face didn’t need to be in there, too,” he said. “The point of the video is to express appreciation to the people who are taking care of the ones getting sick. I’m not an epidemiologist or a doctor, so I decided to not use (my image in) the video.”
The video was posted to Rozow’s YouTube and Facebook pages, where he hopes health care workers will see them, and know their help is appreciated.
“They see the worst of it,” he said. “Seeing something like that has to take a toll. So if this gives them five minutes of respite and makes them feel appreciated or give them a little reminder that what they’re doing is worthwhile, that would be amazing.”
