NBA referee Bill Kennedy combined his love for Carrabba's and wanting to make a difference to show support for those in his hometown of Phoenix on the frontlines during this coronavirus pandemic.

Kennedy partnered with the Italian restaurant and NBA to donate 100 meals catered by Carrabba's in Peoria to night shift employees Thursday night at Banner Thunderbird Hospital in Glendale.

“Just sitting here in my house being quarantined as we are here in Phoenix and not being able to do much, I’m talking to the walls and the walls are beginning to answer back and so it’s just something I want to be able to get out and do something,” Kennedy said. “So this what I saw was an opportunity to give back and show support for those frontliners and to have them appreciated for what they do and putting themselves in harms way night in and night out.”

Working with fellow NBA official Scott Twardoski and other NBA officials, Kennedy also donated 100 cloth face coverings to go with the meals.

“It was fantastic," Banner registered nurse Jody Coolman said. "Everyone was so excited. Billy is so kind. We can't thank him enough."

Coolman said the masks can't be used in patient rooms, but said they're useful for comfort. Kennedy thought they could give the masks to family members.

“They’ll have something for everyday for their children when it come down to feeling relieved a little bit when getting back out in the public,” Kennedy said. “We’re going to need the masks. We’re going to have to wear the masks when we go out and follow the instructions from our government in terms of making sure that we’re protecting the public as we go out.”

Living alone, Kennedy admits he doesn’t cook much at home and having meals at Carrabba's “pretty much five days a week.”

His favorite dish: Fettuccine Carrabba (Alfredo with wood-grilled chicken, sauteed mushrooms and peas) with a side salad.

COVID-19 has led to Kennedy picking up meals from there instead of eating them in the restaurant. Last week, Kennedy was picking up an order when he saw a familiar face — Coolman.

Like Kennedy, Coolman and her husband eat frequently at Carrabba's as well.

The two struck up a conversation and Kennedy learned that Coolman works on the night shift at Banner – and something else that led to the donation.

“She mentioned a lot of times when comes into work that the day shift nurses and doctors had all kinds of gifts and food and things that were brought to them during the day shift,” Kennedy said. “She said, ‘This never happens for the night shift.’”

Huh?

“I said, ‘What are you talking about,’” Kennedy continued. “She goes, ‘The night shift never gets recognized because we’re the night shift. A lot of times, people drop off their food during the day, but yet the night shift gets left out a lot of times.”

Kennedy concluded that when the night shifts arrives at 7:30 p.m., they see all the leftovers of the donated food consumed by the day shift.

So he began formulating a plan to donate meals catered by Carrabba's to the night-shift workers.

“We will not arrive until after the day shift has left,” Kennedy said. “And she started to smile and she was just elated. The night shift is going to be so excited. At least they’ll be appreciated for what they do.”

Coolman, who works labor and delivery, told Kennedy with COVID-19 being so dangerous and contagious, babies are immediately put in isolation.

“They have to make sure the child is protected,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t know that sometimes the mothers that deliver are not allowed to see their child right away, especially if the mother has the virus. They are frontline people. Mothers come in who have been tested positive for the virus.”

Saying this is “bigger than basketball,” Kennedy, an Arizona State graduate who has been an NBA referee since the 1995-96 season, sees this as an opportunity for all NBA parties to come together to raise public awareness about the coronavirus.

“There a couple of things that I think are important,” Kennedy said. “Knowing the facts. And then, if you have the opportunity, showing acts of caring, showing you have compassion. Expanding our community.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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