These are the heroes on the front lines of Michigan's coronavirus crisis

About this series: Free Press sports columnist Jeff Seidel is writing stories to put a human face on the novel coronavirus pandemic. If you know someone Seidel should write about, email him at jseidel@freepress.com.

A customer walks into Penny Lake Market, a mom-and-pop grocery store in Walled Lake.

But mom isn't allowed to work anymore because of fears of the novel coronavirus, and pops is wearing a mask and gloves.

“How are you guys doing?” the customer asks.

“Hangin’ in there,” says Kyle Shammami, the 31-year-old owner.

"It's crazy," the customer says.

Shammami has owned this store for four years, and he employs several family members. He is not letting his mother, Julie, 64, work anymore. “We kind of forced my mom to stay home,” Shammami said. “I told her, ‘You have to stay at home, or I’m going to keep you in the office.’ ”

His father? Well, that's more complicated. Mark Shammami, 64, still works behind the counter. “Pops is a little old school,” Kyle Shammami said. “It’s in his blood to be working all the time. I told him: ‘If you are going to be out here, you gotta wear the mask and keep the gloves on. Maybe stay behind the counter.'

"It’s the age thing. I’m not saying they aren’t healthy, but you never know. It could happen to anybody.”

Everybody has been trying to adapt to a new normal since the coronavirus pandemic flipped the world upside down. Going grocery shopping once seemed like a simple act, but it now brings uncertain risk and consequence for both customers and workers.

Many customers came into this store wearing gloves and masks, wanting to get in and out as soon as possible. Some say they prefer smaller grocery stores because they think it will minimize the risk of exposure. Others say they are simply trying to support a local business. Kyle knows many of them by name.

"We are so grateful to our customers," Kyle said. "I really want to thank our customers for everything, putting up with us, as we are restocking our shelves."

[Her wedding was canceled twice because of coronavirus. So this is what she did] 

Kyle says he is not afraid of the virus. He's young and healthy with no underlying conditions. He refuses to close his doors, even as he puts himself at risk by working 14-hour days. To make money, obviously. But also to serve others.

Shammami is one of the unsung heroes of this pandemic. All the grocery store workers are heroes, everyone from the overnight stockers at Kroger to the do-everything managers at mom-and-pop stores.

When everybody is being told to stay at home for their safety and to slow the spread of the disease, people who work in grocery stores are there every day. None of them ever imagined facing this kind of risk.

Even though Kyle has a small store, hundreds of people shop there every day. If you look at the number of cases in metro Detroit, it's safe to assume some customers at any given store in a day have the virus but don't even know it.

And still, these grocery store workers pull long shifts every day and deal with a stressed public face to face.

Some big-chain stores are installing plexiglass partitions at registers and checkout lines, separating customers from cashiers, protecting them from a sneeze.

But that won't protect all of them.

Kyle doesn't have a sneeze shield at his store. And like many other grocery store workers, he walks through the store all day long with little protection as he mingles with the public.

"I'm just trying to give them the best service," he says.

A group of heroes

It goes without saying that police officers and firefighters and doctors and nurses and other health care workers deserve a special place in heaven and all kinds of thanks, especially right now.

But there are so many others, those who go unnoticed but continue to show a special type of courage during this pandemic.

So today, let’s give thanks to those who don’t get it often enough — the bus drivers and childcare workers and gas station attendants and the convenience stores cashiers and pharmacists.

And yes, the grocery store workers.

The people like Kyle.

“There are people who are doing extraordinary work who deserve our thanks,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday. “When you see a health-care worker on the way to work, or you see a grocery store worker who is working a double shift trying to deal with the demand in these stores, when you see a pharmacist who is overwhelmed with the long lines, when you see a police officer or a firefighter … these are just extraordinary heroes. Heroes! Ask yourself: 'Would you do that? ' You talk about public service? This is public service in stereo and on steroids. These are people who are really stepping up. When you see them, say thank you.”

Of course, there are different ways to do that. Several local pizza companies, such as Jet's, Hungry Howie's and Domino's Pizza, have bought pizza for employees at different Kroger stores across Michigan, according to a company spokesperson.

Nothing says thank you like free pizza!

"During difficult times, it is sometimes easy to forget that those who are serving us may also be dealing with difficulties — yet they are showing up for work," Frankenmuth Mayor Mary Anne Ackerman wrote on a Facebook post, thanking workers at the local Kroger. "As a community, we are grateful to the entire team at Kroger! Thank you for keeping the shelves stocked to the best of your ability. We are grateful for your service!"

I couldn't agree with her more.

“These are people who are showing up and leaving their families," Cuomo said. "They are just as nervous as you are. They deserve our thanks, and I think understanding what they do gives us perspective on how beautiful people can be.”

Yes, it bears repeating. This is public service on steroids. 

So God bless all of you.

And please stay safe.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel/.