STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - By day, Drew Padell leads the housekeeping staff at Richmond University Medical Center, a dangerous job as the hospital battles the coronavirus.

But by night, the part-time DJ sets-up his turntables outside the hospital, blasting uplifting music for all to hear.

“Someone once told me that sometimes the best medicine for somebody is music, and I strongly agree," Padell said.

It’s Padell’s way of making a difference, beyond his own job as a frontline worker. 

He uses his musical talents, usually shared at parties and weddings, to give the hospital staff something to look forward to during their tireless shifts.

“You look at them and they have a big smile on their face, they don’t even need to say anything. So that’s the reaction we get from our employees. You’ll get a little bop too along the way so that tells you it makes them happy," said RUMC President and CEO Dr. Daniel Messina.

Padell says he has seen a lot of pain over the last few months.

“I'm working side by side with these guys day in and day out and to see the things they’ve gone through, my staff has gone through, I just wanted to do something to make people smile and make people feel better," Padell said.

Playing these beats help him and his colleagues cope. 

“What it does is it invigorates the staff and empowers them who then bring that out to the floors and truly show that through the patient care they give," said RUMC Nursing Education Assistant Vice President Victoria Orleman.

“When you're coming out of a 12 hour shift as an RN and one song made you come out and made you shake your head and smile a little bit then my job was done," Padell added.

Padell says he’ll continue to celebrate their hard work for as long as its needed.

So, for working overtime to bring joy to his fellow frontline workers, Drew Padell is our New Yorker of the Week.