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Eagles star Zach Ertz and wife Julie donate breakfast to ICU units at Penn hospital | Marcus Hayes

“A lot of people have been sending food donations in, and we’re very appreciative,” an ICU nurse said. “But when it’s from Zach and Julie — that makes it extra special.”

U.S. women's soccer star Julie Ertz with husband, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, after training camp practice on August 11, 2019.
U.S. women's soccer star Julie Ertz with husband, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, after training camp practice on August 11, 2019.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

Six weeks into the local coronavirus tidal wave, Carrie Brewster, an ICU nurse, left her family at their home in Lansdale to work her 12-hour day shift at the intensive-care unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. It was a dreary Thursday morning and, as usual, she carried the worry of bringing home COVID-19 to her 3-year-old and 9-month-old girls, and to her husband, Kevin.

Brewster’s spirits rose when she reached her floor. There was a bounty of coffee, bagels, and cream cheese, all from Schmear It, a gourmet bagel shop five blocks north of HUP on 36th Street in Philadelphia.

The food was sweet, but not nearly as sweet as the accompanying letter of appreciation, handwritten in large block letters, from the biggest power couple in Philadelphia sports history: Zach and Julie Ertz:

First of all, Thank You!!

Every day you guys go to work and face this pandemic head on. Each and every one of you is a hero to us! We cannot express how grateful we are for you guys and we hope these bagels and coffees will bring you a little encouragement!

We would not be able to overcome this without your tireless efforts and we know through that determination we are going to get through this! We are praying for each and every one of you during this time!

Ephesians 6:10-20.

With Love,

Zach, Julie, and The Ertz Family Foundation

Brewster and her coworkers were blown away.

“A lot of people have been sending food donations in, and we’re very appreciative,” Brewster said. “But when it’s from Zach and Julie — that makes it extra special.”

Zach Ertz, the best tight end in Eagles history, went to the last three Pro Bowls and caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl LII. Julie Ertz, a midfielder who was U.S. soccer player of the year in 2017 and 2019, has won two World Cups with the U.S. women’s national team.

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Yet, as anyone who knows them can attest, the Ertzes are much better people than they are players for the Eagles or the USWNT. Their admiration for women like Brewster is sincere.

Brewster, 35, has worked at HUP as a registered nurse for 12 years and has been in the surgical ICU for the last nine years. She sees some of the worst cases in the hospital: post-operative patients who underwent neurosurgery, cancer surgery, cardiac surgery.

Those surgeries have now largely been suspended and her 24-bed unit has been designated as one of three ICUs that are COVID-19 specific. It has been at near capacity since March, she said.

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Which has meant constant stress; constant fear of contracting the virus; constant fear of spreading it to her loved ones. Contributions like the Ertzes’ are invaluable.

“The morale at my unit is pretty high,” Brewster said. “That has helped me power through and get through this.”

Brewster was raised in Washington Township in Gloucester County. She’s a passionate Eagles fan with an affection for quarterbacks. Her favorite as a kid was Donovan McNabb. Her favorite now is Carson Wentz, as much because of his character and his talent, though Ertz is gaining.

“I think he’s a great football player, and I know the work that he and his wife, Julie. do off the field — they really contribute a lot to the Philadelphia area,” Brewster said.

The Ertzes’ foundation has been a leader during this crisis. It pledged $100,000 to Philabundance on March 20, soon after the lockdown began.

The couple also joined the #allinchallenge initiative, a COVID-19 fund-raiser spearheaded by 76ers minority owner Michael Rubin. They are auctioning off a dinner and Sixers game, and bidding was near $30,000 as of Friday night.

By comparison, coffee and bagels might not seem like a big deal. It was a very big deal to Brewster and her coworkers.

“They really have a sense of family and community. I feel like Philadelphia really prides itself on that,” Brewster said. “They fit in well here.”