There is no denying that the Covid-19 outbreak has changed the way most people go about their lives in 2020 not only here in Houston but across the country and the globe. Dynamo fans had only gotten a small taste of what the season had in store, while Dash fans were just starting to prepare for preseason, when everything suddenly came to a halt.
For Houston Dynamo member and MD Anderson Cancer Center employee, Arturo Galicia, the coronavirus pandemic has taken all of his focus from his beloved Houston Dynamo to a much more pressing matter. Galicia has been a Dynamo fan since 2008, a member since 2010, and is a part of Bandera Negra in the Hustle Town Supporters section, but he is missing all of that now to help those at the frontlines of the pandemic.
Galicia works in the post-anesthesia care unit at MD Anderson handling all-things payroll, ensuring that every single person in his department that is working tirelessly to provide the best care for patients are being compensated in a timely manner. He is all too familiar with the work his colleagues are putting in on a daily basis though, having worked in patient care from 2009 to 2015.
Despite arriving in Houston shortly after the team won both the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cups, Galicia has numerous fond memories at BBVA Stadium, including watching the boys lift the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in person, which he described as his most important memory as a member of the club.
“I was there with my fellow Bandera Negra family from the Hustle Town Supporters,” he said. “This was a moment I was waiting for, so being able to witness them winning a championship at BBVA Stadium meant everything.”
Hopeful that similar memories can be made at BBVA in the near future, Galicia wanted to remind his fellow Dynamo fans to stay informed and remain cooperative during this time.
“Seeing this from the front lines and also having a girlfriend working in patient care as we speak, I would tell people that to take the recommended measures serious,” Galicia said. “The more we respect social distancing the fewer people that will get sick and that would help obviously keep the number of people hospitalized lower, which is everything right now.”
