Raiders On The Front Lines: Carley Bostwick '21
Story written and posted by Anthony Perry, Rivier University Sports Information Director
NASHUA, N.H. – “Raiders on the Front Lines” is a collection of stories detailing how our Raiders are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. These stories are first-hand journal entries from our current or former student-athletes that are working in the hospitals across the country.
Today we are highlighting current Women’s Soccer student-athlete, junior Carley Bostwick (Lowell, Mass.). She is a three-year member of the women’s soccer program, where she earned the captain designation prior to the 2019 season. Carley has played in 48 career games to date, starting 46 of them as a defender for the Raiders. Over that span, she has managed to score two goals and added an assist for five career points.
Carley is currently a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
In her own words:
“When I started my community health rotation this semester, I learned all about the exposure pathway, the spread of infectious diseases, and pandemics. Yet, never in a million years did I think that just a few short months later, our country would be not only living through a pandemic, but that I would be working on the front line of one. It’s a scary situation to think that I’m only in my junior year of nursing school and yet, I play such an important role not only in helping to prevent the spread of this virus, but in treating patients who have the virus as well. “
As I work on the front line, I’m able to see heartbreaking things that most people sitting at home don't even think about. I’ve seen the look of fear in a patient’s eyes as they have to isolate themselves from their families. I’ve seen patients cry as they wait for their results, praying for a negative. I’ve seen patients hooked up to respirators all alone, without family to comfort them, because the risk of spreading the virus is so high. I’ve seen nurses overwhelmed as they’re afraid, not only for their patients, but for the health and safety of themselves and more importantly, their families.
The truth is, it is scary. However, if there is anything that being a student athlete at Rivier has taught me that has helped me on the front line; it is that teamwork is key. We are all in this together. We are all part of the same team. Yes, the front line has an important role in treating those with the virus, but everyone at home needs to do their part as well or this virus is not going anywhere. It is important to not only do your job, but to make it count. Be a team player- stay home.”
