In my 30-plus years as a financial journalist, I have lived through the '90s Asian financial crisis, the tech dot-com crash, the 9/11 terrorist attack, and the 2008 financial crisis. Now, however, America is faced with something entirely different. We are at war with a pandemic, and the people we rely on most — our health-care and frontline workers — are unmatched.

I am a military service and war veteran. People who know I have served go out of their way to thank me for my service and I appreciate their regard every time.

Now, however, I call on all of you to thank every health-care worker and all frontline workers (pharmacy, grocery, take-out, gasoline, etc.) to thank them for their service. They are likely more frightened than you are of the virus and its fallout on their financial lives. These people are risking their personal health — and the health of the people they love — for you.

Can we all, please, as Americans, listen to the young girl who cried when she thanked me, for thanking her for her take-out service? It took me a long time to appreciate people thanking me for my military service, and I was never on the front lines like these people are.

We are America. Let us come together and get through this. Thank the people caring for you and keeping you safe.