Episode
Episode 122: Brother Don Hess Duty, Sacrifice, and the Battle That Never Ended
- Podcast
- Hot House with Richie Ray
- Published
- Jul 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 8855
- Processing state
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Summary
This episode of Hot House with Richie Ray is more than aconversation it's the story of a union activist whose life was forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Brother Don Hess began his career as a city letter carrier in Staten Island and quickly realized that simply paying union dues wasn't enough. He chose to stand up, become involved, and eventually serve as the Shop Steward at RosebankStation. Along the way, he experienced the victories, frustrations, and sacrifices that come with representing letter carriers during one of the most difficult periods in postal history. As the world shut down and COVID-19 swept through the country, Don continued serving while postal employees delivered America's mail through uncertainty and fear. Then the virus struck him personally. After testing positive for COVID-19, Don's life changed forever. What started as an illness became a long-term battle that ultimately forced him into disability retirement. Even today, years later, he continues to live with the effects of Long COVID. In this deeply personal interview, Don opens up about union service, friendship, leadership, perseverance, and what it means when your career and your identity are taken from you through circumstances beyond your control. This isn't just a story about COVID. It's a story about sacrifice. It's a story about survival. And it's a reminder that behind every badge number is a human being.