See It: Blue Angels, Thunderbirds Fly Over NYC To Honor Medical Responders
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's a sky-high tribute to first responders.
A formation of Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds honored COVID-19 frontline workers.
It was a beautiful day for the flyover, and an honor to watch our nation's heroes pay tribute to our local heroes, reported CBS2's Vanessa Murdock.
The pride of a nation that is America Strong - our Navy Blue Angels, our Air Force Thunderbirds - were in a joint fly over in salute to our doctors, nurses, medical staff who wake up every morning, or in the middle of the night, and head off to work to fight COVID-19.
WATCH: Navy Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds Fly Over NYC, NJ
"I had to stop everything. I had two to tests today. I had to put everything on pause to say thank you to the first repsonders. Had a lot of family that was sick," said 16-year-old Karley Dobronski.
"We really appreciate everything they've done for us. We've never seen anything like this in our life," said Mike Dobronski.
SLIDESHOW: Blue Angels, Thunderbirds Fly Over New York City
Families, friends and furry friends lined the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey - some with masks other without - all doing their best to keep a safe distance while watching perfectly aligned FA 18 Super Hornets and F-16 Fighting Falcons soared over Manhattan.
"We really wanted to see the Blue Angels," said 7-year-old Cynthia Cerutti.
It was an emotional experience for many, especially a woman named Liz, who waved American flags in tribute to our first responders, the United States of America, but especially "to support my mother, who died from coronavirus."
The Latorre family drove from Waldwick, N.J. to show their support for everyone fighting the good fight right now.
"We're a very patriotic family. This is my nurse, graduating this year. We're very proud of her," said Cheryl Latorre.
From Manhattan, across the river to University Hospital in Newark, where a crowd gathered on the ground and the rooftop to witness their salute. Then across all five boroughs.
Crowds gathered in Bay Ridge. Christa Patrick even caught a clip of the stealth bomber and posted it to social media.
Then to Long Island, across the sound to Connecticut and Westchester county.
Sadie and Eli Kaplan, 8 and 10, said it was "pretty cool and nice" and "definitely historic."
"We need to have a sense of unity and community in times like these," Latorre said.
It may be unsettling times, but hope is clearly visible on the horizon.
