Good Samaritans donate their RVs to help house health care workers fighting COVID-19

LOS ANGELES - Many healthcare workers in SoCal and across the country are making the tough decision to live apart from their families to keep them safe during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Gilbert Cerda is a Respiratory Therapist working with COVID-19 patients around the clock. 

"We're [respiratory therapists] the ones who are in the room managing the ventilators, giving the medications, and making sure the patients know they're not alone," said Cerda. 

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Because of Cerda's close contact with coronavirus patients, he did not want to put his family at risk. 

"It's tough. You see your family every day, and you never think any of this. You never think you're going to be in this situation," said Cerda. 

Cerda decided to talk to his family about living separately and came across a Facebook post in the group, RVs 4 MDs To Fight The Coronavirus, which is connecting healthcare workers nationwide with a new temporary home. 

"As soon as we talked about it, Kathleen popped up, and it was like heaven sent," said Cerda. 

Kathleen Moldenhauer owns an RV, and posted about her desire to help a family of a healthcare worker in the Facebook group. 

"I had heard about a couple of people doing it and thought that was the least I could do. I had the RV and I was hoping somebody could use it," Moldenhauer said. 

Moldenhauer said Cerda lived nearby so she dropped off the RV to him and his family Wednesday. 

"It's my pleasure. I'm really happy I could do it," she said. 

Cerda and his family are very grateful. 

"We thank her so much. If I could call her every five minutes to tell her thank you, I would," said Cerda. 

Ken Hashimoto is in the same situation. He is a registered ICU Nurse at Riverside Community Hospital. He spoke with his wife, Allison about isolating. He received an RV donation from Mike Sevoian. 

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"I was taken aback by the generosity and I just couldn't believe it was true. I couldn't believe that a neighbor of mine, of ours, who lives up the road from us has graciously brought us this trailer to keep me safe and my family safe at this time," said Hashimoto. 

Sevoian owns an RV company, Rolling Getaway RV Rentals. 

"I had probably like 30 reservations that canceled so it was a little bit discouraging because everybody canceled but I thought you know what they're all sitting so why not help these people out?" Sevoian said. 

Sevoian donated three of his four RVs to a convalescent hospital in Yucaipa, and then donated the fourth RV to the Hashimoto family. 

"They ended up living super close to me so it worked out good. It actually gives me a lot of purpose right now in this time. My RVs are sitting so I might as well do some good," said Sevoian. 

Sevoian and his son help set the RV up in Hashimoto's driveway. 

"We got them rocking and rolling, plugged into the power with their house, and their hose so their RV gets water so he can shower," said Sevoian. 

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The Hashimoto family is now adapting to their new normal. 

"Being able to be home near the kids, able to interact with them without physical contact is a tremendous relief. It's tremendous to show what we as people can do for one another without any thought," said Hashimoto.