Marines come through with emergency pizza

COEUR d’ALENE — Dr. Patrick Magajna was glad to be called outside the emergency room at Kootenai Health on Friday.

No, it wasn’t to save someone who wasn’t feeling well.

It was to accept pizza and pop.

“Thanks for all you do,” said veteran Mike Quinn as he handed Magajna a case of Pepsi, while eight pizzas from Domino’s were placed in a wheelchair.

The noon meal was a gift for the ER crew from veterans with the Marine Corps League Pappy Boyington Detachment in Coeur d’Alene.

“Because they’re busting their butts over here,” said Quinn, who dropped off the pizza with Ron Barnett. “They’re very unappreciated. People don’t realize it. You never use first responders, basically, until you need them.”

He said most people are worried about the coronavirus and how it’s affecting their lives, but losing sight of its effect on others.

“They don’t think about these people who are working extremely long shifts, double time, and stuff like that, to take care of everybody who needs it,” Quinn said. “We just wanted them to know we got their backs.”

Magajna, a member of the Marine Corps League, appreciated the gesture from the veterans.

“They serve the community. They’re super supportive of the emergency department,” he said.

Veteran Ben Rutherford of the Pappy Boyington Detachment said the benevolent group is always ready to do its part.

“Anybody needs some help, we try to reach out to them,” he said.

It was Rutherford who called Magajna and asked if they would like some pizza delivered Friday.

Absolutely, he said.

“I said, ‘We’ll be there,’” Rutherford said.

And true to their military discipline, they rolled up on time, handed off the pizza, exchanged a few words, and drove away to little fanfare.