AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Lisa Reyes is many things to many people in the community: a mother, friend, helping hand, and a travel nurse.

Reyes made it her mission to help end the pandemic when she helped vaccinate as many people against COVID-19 as she could as a travel nurse.

When COVID-19 first hit the Texas Panhandle hard in 2020, Reyes volunteered at the City of Amarillo’s testing site.

“I volunteered for like three months there and then I got sick after a couple weeks after,” Reyes said, noting she was not sick with COVID-19 at that time. “So I ended up in the hospital ICU, pretty bad shape. I wasn’t on a ventilator or anything but…I was scared to go back out to help again. So I kind of stopped for a bit.”

Then at the end of 20202, vaccines became available, changing her role in the pandemic. Like many others, she became a travel nurse.

“I went to Colorado and so that’s where I’ve been for the past year, traveling to Colorado for the vaccine sites,” said Reyes.

She continued, “Each shot can help potentially well save one life so I just want to put an end to this awful pandemic and I wish people, everyone would get vaccinated because they are safe. I’ve, I wouldn’t get it if I didn’t believe in it and I’m glad to be helping in that small way.”

“So because it is a life-saving measure in society, I mean, she’s gung ho about it. She’s, you know, she’s a gladiator for those vaccines, said her husband, DeAngelo Reyes, who nominated her for the Remarkable Women contest.

But he said helping to vaccinate people is not the only good she does in the community.

“I nominated her because I think she’s an example for all of us. She sets the bar pretty high,” said DeAngelo, noting Lisa regularly helps poor and homeless people in Amarillo.

“She puts all of her problems aside and focuses on others and that’s kind of what inspires us,” he continued.

DeAngelo also said each Christmas, Lisa buys hundreds of toys for families in need.

“She goes out searching for different groups that need families adopted,” he said. “Most of them are, you know, single mothers with kids and she buys not only the kids toys but clothes.”

Even in the pandemic, Lisa Reyes continues to help people she sees who are in need, in any way she can.

“I just want to just help as much as I can,” she said.