thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Ceal Barry’s legacy empowering women’s sports to continue after CU retirement: “I don’t feel finishe

Ceal Barry’s legacy empowering women’s sports to continue after CU retirement: “I don’t feel finished”

Editor ’ s note : Fourth in a series about basketball icons in Colorado .
The first three installments profiled Alex English , Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Rudy Carey .
BOULDER — A chorus of singing birds fills the air on a late-May morning when the most accomplished college basketball coach in state history seeks a moment to reflect .
Standing in her backyard , surrounded by trees that frame clouds rolling across the Flatirons , Ceal Barry holds a commemorative basketball from her final home game leading the CU Buffs women ’ s program when a photographer asks to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach , ” she says , flashing a smile beneath her bright blue eyes .
Barry , 65 , now approaches her second CU retirement — this time for good — as an athletics administrator .
On July 1 , her incredible 37-year run with the Buffaloes officially comes to an end .
“ Mixed emotions , ” Barry said .
“ I ’ m going to miss a lot of the relationships at CU.
” What ’ s decidedly not mixed , though , is Barry ’ s place among the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaching resume speaks for itself : 427-242 record over 22 seasons ; 12 NCAA Tournament berths ; six Sweet 16 runs ; three Elite Eight trips ; 140 consecutive games ranked in the Top 25 ( 1992-96 ) ; four-time Big Eight coach of the year ; and the accolades keeps going .
The fuel for Barry ’ s success ?
A relentless drive to win .
“ My mom had eight children in 11 years , so we were a very competitive family , ” said Barry , a native of Louisville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the swimming pool , we raced .
If we played games , we kept score .
We were competitive about who got to choose what shows we watched on TV .
“ I ’ ve never liked to lose .
But who does ?
” Elevating CU from the Big Eight basement into an NCAA powerhouse required an influx of talented players .
Barry recruited the nation ’ s best .
Former CU guard Linda Lappe ( 1998-2003 ) held scholarship offers from Notre Dame and other elite schools as a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barry traveled for a home visit and made Lappe a deal over the family ’ s ping-pong table : If I win in this game , then you commit to CU .
Lappe , a two-year Buffs captain who later returned to coach her alma mater , said , “ Ceal thinks she beat me .
I see it differently.
” “ Ceal knew how to push you to be your best , ” Lappe continued .
“ She was very hard at times , but she also knew when to let up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personalities .
That ’ s the mark of a good coach .
You can ’ t coach every player the exact same .
“ She cared which way your foot was pointed and if you touched the line .
She cared about your hand positioning and which way you pivoted when you caught the ball on the wing .
It was ingrained from the very start .
Everyone was very clear on what the expectation was and how it should be done.
” The Buffaloes hosted UNLV in the second round of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consecutive victories and a Big Eight title .
Buzz surrounding Barry ’ s program reached a fever pitch .
The result : A record-breaking crowd of 11,199 which marked the arena ’ s first basketball sellout , men ’ s or women ’ s , in over a decade of existence — who watched an 84-74 defeat .
“ They opened the doors and people were sprinting down .
It was crazy , ” Barry said .
“ The fire marshal closed the doors because people were sitting in the aisles .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t think I understood the magnitude of that for the women ’ s game.
” Barry ’ s work as a trailblazer for women in college athletics had only just begun .
She advocated for her games to be on TV , organized hundreds of youth camps , and coached in multiple roles for USA Basketball .
Several of her former CU assistants went on to become college head coaches themselves .
Barry ’ s success building the CU hoops program helped to usher in more Division I women ’ s sports programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , soccer and volleyball added .
“ She ’ s one of the legends , ” said Barb Smith , a former CU assistant coach ( 1988-97 ) under Barry .
“ It wasn ’ t about Ceal all the time .
It was how she could help other programs , people and the game .
She did so much and she was so involved.
” Barry joined CU ’ s athletic administration after retiring from coaching .
Her influence was felt department-wide , especially in 2013 , when Barry served as interim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find a new athletic director .
“ I ’ ve always respected Ceal a great deal , ” CU men ’ s basketball coach Tad Boyle said .
“ My year-end meetings would be with Ceal as an administrator and she would give feedback .
I always appreciated that when I came to Ceal with an issue , she immediately understood it because she could look at it from my perspective as a coach.
” Kris Livingston , CU ’ s associate athletic director for student success , added : “ When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or something , I was amazed by how often that it was accurate .
She always did things with integrity.
” Upon return to Barry ’ s backyard , an inevitable final question entering retirement : What ’ s next ?
Barry is the first to admit she struggles to sit still .
So , you ’ ll likely find her volunteering in the Boulder community , working on her golf game , or reconnecting with Buffs alumni .
What retirement can ’ t touch , however , is Barry ’ s lifelong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women .
“ I don ’ t really need a break , I ’ ll tell you that , ” Barry said .
“ I ’ m not exhausted .
I feel energetic .
I ’ m looking for a change .
I ’ m not sure what form that will be .
I guess I ’ ll have to search that out .

Editor’s note: Fourth in a series about basketball icons in Colorado. The first three installments profiled Alex English, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Rudy Carey.
BOULDER — A chorus of singing birds fills the air on a late-May morning when the most accomplished college basketball coach in state history seeks a moment to reflect.
Standing in her backyard, surrounded by trees that frame clouds rolling across the Flatirons, Ceal Barry holds a commemorative basketball from her final home game leading the CU Buffs women’s program when a photographer asks to change positions.
“You’re the coach,” she says, flashing a smile beneath her bright blue eyes.
Barry, 65, now approaches her second CU retirement — this time for good — as an athletics administrator.
On July 1, her incredible 37-year run with the Buffaloes officially comes to an end.
“Mixed emotions,” Barry said. “I’m going to miss a lot of the relationships at CU.”
What’s decidedly not mixed, though, is Barry’s place among the state’s greatest basketball icons.
Her coaching resume speaks for itself: 427-242 record over 22 seasons; 12 NCAA Tournament berths; six Sweet 16 runs; three Elite Eight trips; 140 consecutive games ranked in the Top 25 (1992-96); four-time Big Eight coach of the year; and the accolades keeps going.
The fuel for Barry’s success? A relentless drive to win.
“My mom had eight children in 11 years, so we were a very competitive family,” said Barry, a native of Louisville, Kentucky. “If we went to the swimming pool, we raced. If we played games, we kept score. We were competitive about who got to choose what shows we watched on TV.
“I’ve never liked to lose. But who does?”
Elevating CU from the Big Eight basement into an NCAA powerhouse required an influx of talented players. Barry recruited the nation’s best.
Former CU guard Linda Lappe (1998-2003) held scholarship offers from Notre Dame and other elite schools as a former prep star in Burlington, Iowa. Barry traveled for a home visit and made Lappe a deal over the family’s ping-pong table: If I win in this game, then you commit to CU.
Lappe, a two-year Buffs captain who later returned to coach her alma mater, said, “Ceal thinks she beat me. I see it differently.”
Barry laughed: “She always says that.”
“Ceal knew how to push you to be your best,” Lappe continued. “She was very hard at times, but she also knew when to let up and how to change styles to fit personalities. That’s the mark of a good coach. You can’t coach every player the exact same.
“She cared which way your foot was pointed and if you touched the line. She cared about your hand positioning and which way you pivoted when you caught the ball on the wing. It was ingrained from the very start. Everyone was very clear on what the expectation was and how it should be done.”
A significant turning point for Barry’s CU hoops program arrived on March 18, 1989.
The Buffaloes hosted UNLV in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after CU rattled off 20 consecutive victories and a Big Eight title. Buzz surrounding Barry’s program reached a fever pitch. The result: A record-breaking crowd of 11,199 which marked the arena’s first basketball sellout, men’s or women’s, in over a decade of existence — who watched an 84-74 defeat.
“They opened the doors and people were sprinting down. It was crazy,” Barry said. “The fire marshal closed the doors because people were sitting in the aisles. … At the time, I don’t think I understood the magnitude of that for the women’s game.”
Barry’s work as a trailblazer for women in college athletics had only just begun.
She advocated for her games to be on TV, organized hundreds of youth camps, and coached in multiple roles for USA Basketball. Several of her former CU assistants went on to become college head coaches themselves. Barry’s success building the CU hoops program helped to usher in more Division I women’s sports programs to Boulder — with golf, lacrosse, soccer and volleyball added.
“She’s one of the legends,” said Barb Smith, a former CU assistant coach (1988-97) under Barry. “It wasn’t about Ceal all the time. It was how she could help other programs, people and the game. She did so much and she was so involved.”
Barry joined CU’s athletic administration after retiring from coaching. Her influence was felt department-wide, especially in 2013, when Barry served as interim AD during the school’s search to find a new athletic director.
“I’ve always respected Ceal a great deal,” CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle said. “My year-end meetings would be with Ceal as an administrator and she would give feedback. I always appreciated that when I came to Ceal with an issue, she immediately understood it because she could look at it from my perspective as a coach.”
Kris Livingston, CU’s associate athletic director for student success, added: “When Ceal had a gut feeling about somebody or something, I was amazed by how often that it was accurate. She always did things with integrity.”
Upon return to Barry’s backyard, an inevitable final question entering retirement: What’s next?
Barry is the first to admit she struggles to sit still. So, you’ll likely find her volunteering in the Boulder community, working on her golf game, or reconnecting with Buffs alumni. What retirement can’t touch, however, is Barry’s lifelong passion to empower athletes — specifically young women.
Her determination hasn’t faded a bit.
“I don’t really need a break, I’ll tell you that,” Barry said. “I’m not exhausted. I feel energetic. I’m looking for a change. I’m not sure what form that will be. I guess I’ll have to search that out.
“I don’t feel finished.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Rocky Mountain National Park open on weekend first time in 10 weeks

ESTES PARK — The last time Rocky Mountain National Park was open to the public on a weekend , the coronavirus caseload in Colorado was little more than 100 and the first death from the highly contagious disease had been reported just two days earlier .
It was Sunday , March 15 , and the 415-square-mile park would close just five days later under federal government order .
It reopened Wednesday for the first time since the pandemic struck but wouldn ’ t get its true test of crowds until Saturday .
For Vijay Dodda of Colorado Springs , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bighorn sheep and yellow-bellied marmots that call the park ’ s high peaks and alpine meadows home had him feeling antsy .
“ I ’ ve been checking the ( Rocky Mountain National Park ) website every day for the last three or four weeks , ” Dodda said Saturday , as he , his wife and two children navigated over deep snowbanks lining the trail around Bear Lake .
“ It gets you out of the daily madness .
It ’ s , in a way , very meditative and spiritual.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rocky Mountain National Park ’ s expansive acreage and stunning views were cited by several visitors as reasons they made the trip to Larimer County to take in the park , which attracted 4.6 million people in 2019 .
Rebecca Birdwell was in town from Tennessee , where she had been sheltering at home for weeks .
“ I think it was good to lay low for two months , ” she said , casting a line into Sprague Lake as a moose snacked in the water less than 50 feet away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of mental health issues from staying in a house too long.
” Even so , Rocky Mountain National Park was far from overrun Saturday , despite a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the 60s .
Even though the parking areas for Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge were full by late morning , one parking attendant said it took far longer than a typical weekend day for the last spaces to disappear .
Lacy Henry of Gunnison said she had no trouble practicing social distancing while fly-fishing in Sprague Lake on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mountain National Park in May — almost June — this is the calmest it ’ s been since I was a kid , ” she said .
“ We ’ ve been able to avoid people on the path and have been able to social distance.
” Stephen Brewer , who arrived at the park Saturday as part of a cross-country road trip from his home in Florida , said he was surprised at how calm it was .
The 77-year-old retiree , who was descending Deer Mountain , even sailed down Trail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bike , barely passing a vehicle .
“ I thought it would be chock full of people , ” he said .
“ People are scared , aren ’ t they ?
” Park officials said 2,775 vehicles had entered the park as of 5 p.m. Saturday but did not provide a reference to the same date in prior years .
Starting Thursday , visitors will need to obtain a timed entry permit to gain access to the park so crowding can be minimized through the summer high season .
Reservations can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be operational in the park — visitor centers remain closed , the Hiker Shuttle from Estes Park is not running , and masks are required for anyone riding on shuttle buses inside the park .
Trail Ridge Road is open only to Rainbow Curve from the east and the Colorado River Trailhead on the west .
Colorado ’ s COVID-19 numbers now have the state approaching 26,000 cases , with about 1,200 deaths directly attributable to the virus , according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
Even though Estes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discontinued a requirement that people wear masks anywhere in their busy downtown retail district , including outdoors , many people wore face coverings while out and about on East Elkhorn Avenue on Saturday .
This tourist-dependent town , in the shadow of Rocky Mountain National Park , was quickly getting back to life , with lines forming outside of some restaurants and shorts-wearing visitors strolling along shopfronts , enjoying ice cream or a drink .
Sales tax revenues in Estes Park plummeted nearly 30 % in March , compared with March 2019 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact of forced closures of restaurants and retail shops began to take its toll .
For Robert Dobson , who hails from near Wellington , the return of visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park was a step back to normalcy .
There were the rushed pull-overs , as people with cellphones held aloft took in herds of elk , or the gathering of hikers near a moose that stood knee-deep in a lake .
Dobson had done two laps around Bear Lake , photographing the scenery and getting in some exercise Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step toward life getting back to what it should be , ” he said .
“ It ’ s one of the reasons I live here — that and skiing .
”

ESTES PARK — The last time Rocky Mountain National Park was open to the public on a weekend, the coronavirus caseload in Colorado was little more than 100 and the first death from the highly contagious disease had been reported just two days earlier.
It was Sunday, March 15, and the 415-square-mile park would close just five days later under federal government order. It reopened Wednesday for the first time since the pandemic struck but wouldn’t get its true test of crowds until Saturday.
For Vijay Dodda of Colorado Springs, those 10 weeks disconnected from the elk, bighorn sheep and yellow-bellied marmots that call the park’s high peaks and alpine meadows home had him feeling antsy.
“I’ve been checking the (Rocky Mountain National Park) website every day for the last three or four weeks,” Dodda said Saturday, as he, his wife and two children navigated over deep snowbanks lining the trail around Bear Lake. “It gets you out of the daily madness. It’s, in a way, very meditative and spiritual.”
The mental benefits of setting eyes on Rocky Mountain National Park’s expansive acreage and stunning views were cited by several visitors as reasons they made the trip to Larimer County to take in the park, which attracted 4.6 million people in 2019. Rebecca Birdwell was in town from Tennessee, where she had been sheltering at home for weeks.
“I think it was good to lay low for two months,” she said, casting a line into Sprague Lake as a moose snacked in the water less than 50 feet away. “But I think there’s a lot of mental health issues from staying in a house too long.”
Even so, Rocky Mountain National Park was far from overrun Saturday, despite a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the 60s. Even though the parking areas for Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge were full by late morning, one parking attendant said it took far longer than a typical weekend day for the last spaces to disappear.
Lacy Henry of Gunnison said she had no trouble practicing social distancing while fly-fishing in Sprague Lake on Saturday.
“As far as Rocky Mountain National Park in May — almost June — this is the calmest it’s been since I was a kid,” she said. “We’ve been able to avoid people on the path and have been able to social distance.”
Stephen Brewer, who arrived at the park Saturday as part of a cross-country road trip from his home in Florida, said he was surprised at how calm it was. The 77-year-old retiree, who was descending Deer Mountain, even sailed down Trail Ridge Road for 5 miles on his bike, barely passing a vehicle.
“I thought it would be chock full of people,” he said. “People are scared, aren’t they?”
Park officials said 2,775 vehicles had entered the park as of 5 p.m. Saturday but did not provide a reference to the same date in prior years.
Starting Thursday, visitors will need to obtain a timed entry permit to gain access to the park so crowding can be minimized through the summer high season. Reservations can be made at recreation.gov. Not everything will be operational in the park — visitor centers remain closed, the Hiker Shuttle from Estes Park is not running, and masks are required for anyone riding on shuttle buses inside the park.
Trail Ridge Road is open only to Rainbow Curve from the east and the Colorado River Trailhead on the west.
Colorado’s COVID-19 numbers now have the state approaching 26,000 cases, with about 1,200 deaths directly attributable to the virus, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Even though Estes Park’s elected leaders last week discontinued a requirement that people wear masks anywhere in their busy downtown retail district, including outdoors, many people wore face coverings while out and about on East Elkhorn Avenue on Saturday. This tourist-dependent town, in the shadow of Rocky Mountain National Park, was quickly getting back to life, with lines forming outside of some restaurants and shorts-wearing visitors strolling along shopfronts, enjoying ice cream or a drink.
Sales tax revenues in Estes Park plummeted nearly 30% in March, compared with March 2019 — $852,000 vs. $612,000 — as the impact of forced closures of restaurants and retail shops began to take its toll.
For Robert Dobson, who hails from near Wellington, the return of visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park was a step back to normalcy. There were the rushed pull-overs, as people with cellphones held aloft took in herds of elk, or the gathering of hikers near a moose that stood knee-deep in a lake.
Dobson had done two laps around Bear Lake, photographing the scenery and getting in some exercise Saturday morning.
“It’s a step toward life getting back to what it should be,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I live here — that and skiing.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Broncos Analysis: 10 questions — and attempted answers — as waiting game plays out

The waiting game continues for the Broncos and the other 31 NFL teams .
Waiting to meet as a team .
Waiting to train at the club facility .
Waiting to see which rookies emerge .
And waiting to see which veterans no longer fit in the master plan .
Since finishing last year with a win over the Raiders , the Broncos ’ front office and coaching staff constructed an aggressive offseason strategy that could result in as many as seven new starters .
They added former Pro Bowlers ( A.J .
Bouye , Jurrell Casey and Melvin Gordon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glasgow .
And they added a 10-player draft class led by receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler .
The objective : End a string of four consecutive years out of the playoffs , the third-longest string in franchise history .
Was it enough ?
Even at this time of the year , it ’ s impossible to know , but the arrival of OTAs each May at least provides an idea of what the coaches think about their players .
When the Broncos convene as a team and eventually hit the field ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , here are 10 questions that will need to be flushed out before the Sept. 14 opener against Tennessee : 1 .
Which returning players will be on the bubble ?
A bunch of them , befitting a team with a second-year head coach ( Vic Fangio ) who has had a season to assess the roster and a new offensive coordinator ( Pat Shurmur ) who is implementing his playbook .
Offense : Receivers DaeSean Hamilton and Juwann Winfree ( additions of Jeudy/Hamler ) .
… Tight ends Jeff Heuerman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nick Vannett and Albert Okwuegbunam ) .
… And guard Austin Schlottmann ( addition of rookie Netane Muti ) .
Defense : Defensive end DeMarcus Walker ( additions of Casey/rookie McTelvin Agim ) .
… Inside linebacker Josh Watson ( addition of rookie Justin Strnad ) .
… And cornerbacks Duke Dawson , Davontae Harris and Shakial Taylor ( additions of Bouye and rookies Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey ) .
2 .
Is there room for Jeudy and Hamler to both have big rookie seasons ?
Unlikely .
The Broncos ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order , receiver Courtland Sutton , tight end Noah Fant and Jeudy .
Jeudy should be a Week 1 starter , and working opposite of Sutton should provide him with opportunities .
Hamler should be viewed as a home-run option — line him up in the slot and have him run “ go ” routes down the seams , similar to how Kansas City used rookie Mecole Hardman last year .
3 .
Should Fangio feel confident about the cornerback depth ?
After the draft , Fangio said he felt “ good ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ a bunch of young players that we acquired last year like Dawson and ( Davontae Harris ) .
… We have a good group to play with.
” The Broncos are gambling , though .
If Bryce Callahan ( two foot surgeries since his last game ) doesn ’ t make it to camp or through the season , then who plays against the slot receiver ?
It ’ s not Bouye ’ s area of expertise , so Fangio would have to turn back to Dawson , among others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ end room get whittled down ?
The Broncos have eight tight ends under contract and a conservative estimate is five make the initial 53-man roster .
The locks are Fant , Vannett and Andrew Beck , who is expected to serve as tight end/fullback/H-back/special teams core player .
That leaves two spots .
Okwuegbunam is the favorite and don ’ t rule out Austin Fort , who tore his ACL in last year ’ s second preseason game , or Jake Butt , whose career has been plagued by knee injuries , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is the status quo at inside linebacker good enough ?
Hard to say it ’ s good enough .
At the combine , Fangio admitted the Broncos needed better play at inside linebacker , but the team addressed it only with Strnad ( fifth-round pick ) .
“ He ’ ll just get thrown in the mix there and we ’ ll see how he develops and competes with the other guys , ” Fangio said .
Todd Davis and Alexander Johnson should have been overjoyed after the draft , because they remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trade up in the third round for Temple center Matt Hennessy , but he was selected by Atlanta .
Later in the round , the Broncos selected LSU ’ s Lloyd Cushenberry .
Last year at this time , it was already apparent Dalton Risner would be the rookie left guard , but the absence of a rookie camp or OTAs has kept the plan at center under wraps .
Cushenberry should get every opportunity to win the job because that would mean Glasgow is kept at right guard .
If Cushenberry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could move Glasgow to center and Elijah Wilkinson to right guard .
Fangio and general manager John Elway declared left tackle open for competition between Wilkinson ( last year ’ s right tackle ) and former first-round pick Garett Bolles .
The Broncos declined Bolles ’ 2021 contract option earlier this month , but that means nothing for the present .
The best case should be Bolles keeps the job and Wilkinson can be used in any number of ways ( starting guard , fill-in right tackle and valuable backup ) .
8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special teams ?
The Broncos were 21st in pro football writer Rick Gosselin ’ s annual special teams ranking , the usual gold standard among team executives and coaches .
New are long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer and punter Sam Martin .
The return game is open for competition , although Spencer showed some flashes last year .
Among the core players , the Broncos need Beck , Malik Reed and to-be-determined rookies to establish roles .
9 .
Will Gordon and Phillip Lindsay have a near-equal share of carries ?
Last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 100 carries — Baltimore , Buffalo , the Broncos , Green Bay , Kansas City , the Chargers , Minnesota , New Orleans , the Raiders , Philadelphia , Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay — and San Francisco had three .
If Shurmur wants , there is nothing wrong with a near-even split between Gordon and Lindsay .
Even if the attempts are even , expect Gordon to play more snaps because of his third-down experience .
No .
Teammates say Lock has been impressive during the video conference meetings , showing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willingness to be vocal .
The offseason plan was to surround Lock with offensive talent in general and offensive talent with speed in particular .
Now it ’ s up to him to perform .

The waiting game continues for the Broncos and the other 31 NFL teams. Waiting to meet as a team. Waiting to train at the club facility. Waiting to see which rookies emerge. And waiting to see which veterans no longer fit in the master plan.
Since finishing last year with a win over the Raiders, the Broncos’ front office and coaching staff constructed an aggressive offseason strategy that could result in as many as seven new starters. They added former Pro Bowlers (A.J. Bouye, Jurrell Casey and Melvin Gordon). They signed right guard Graham Glasgow. And they added a 10-player draft class led by receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler.
The objective: End a string of four consecutive years out of the playoffs, the third-longest string in franchise history.
Was it enough? Even at this time of the year, it’s impossible to know, but the arrival of OTAs each May at least provides an idea of what the coaches think about their players.
When the Broncos convene as a team and eventually hit the field (likely after some type of acclimation period), here are 10 questions that will need to be flushed out before the Sept. 14 opener against Tennessee:
1. Which returning players will be on the bubble?
A bunch of them, befitting a team with a second-year head coach (Vic Fangio) who has had a season to assess the roster and a new offensive coordinator (Pat Shurmur) who is implementing his playbook.
Offense: Receivers DaeSean Hamilton and Juwann Winfree (additions of Jeudy/Hamler). … Tight ends Jeff Heuerman, Jake Butt and Troy Fumagalli (additions of Nick Vannett and Albert Okwuegbunam). … And guard Austin Schlottmann (addition of rookie Netane Muti).
Defense: Defensive end DeMarcus Walker (additions of Casey/rookie McTelvin Agim). … Inside linebacker Josh Watson (addition of rookie Justin Strnad). … And cornerbacks Duke Dawson, Davontae Harris and Shakial Taylor (additions of Bouye and rookies Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey).
Special teams: Returner Diontae Spencer (addition of Hamler).
2. Is there room for Jeudy and Hamler to both have big rookie seasons?
Unlikely. The Broncos’ passing game may go through, in order, receiver Courtland Sutton, tight end Noah Fant and Jeudy.
Jeudy should be a Week 1 starter, and working opposite of Sutton should provide him with opportunities. Hamler should be viewed as a home-run option — line him up in the slot and have him run “go” routes down the seams, similar to how Kansas City used rookie Mecole Hardman last year.
3. Should Fangio feel confident about the cornerback depth?
After the draft, Fangio said he felt “good” about it, citing Bouye, Ojemudia and “a bunch of young players that we acquired last year like Dawson and (Davontae Harris). … We have a good group to play with.”
The Broncos are gambling, though. If Bryce Callahan (two foot surgeries since his last game) doesn’t make it to camp or through the season, then who plays against the slot receiver? It’s not Bouye’s area of expertise, so Fangio would have to turn back to Dawson, among others.
4. How does the crowded tight end room get whittled down?
The Broncos have eight tight ends under contract and a conservative estimate is five make the initial 53-man roster.
The locks are Fant, Vannett and Andrew Beck, who is expected to serve as tight end/fullback/H-back/special teams core player. That leaves two spots. Okwuegbunam is the favorite and don’t rule out Austin Fort, who tore his ACL in last year’s second preseason game, or Jake Butt, whose career has been plagued by knee injuries, from sticking on the roster.
5. Is the status quo at inside linebacker good enough?
Hard to say it’s good enough. At the combine, Fangio admitted the Broncos needed better play at inside linebacker, but the team addressed it only with Strnad (fifth-round pick).
“He’ll just get thrown in the mix there and we’ll see how he develops and competes with the other guys,” Fangio said.
Todd Davis and Alexander Johnson should have been overjoyed after the draft, because they remain the starters.
6. Who plays center?
The Broncos reportedly tried to trade up in the third round for Temple center Matt Hennessy, but he was selected by Atlanta. Later in the round, the Broncos selected LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry.
Last year at this time, it was already apparent Dalton Risner would be the rookie left guard, but the absence of a rookie camp or OTAs has kept the plan at center under wraps.
Cushenberry should get every opportunity to win the job because that would mean Glasgow is kept at right guard. If Cushenberry isn’t ready, the Broncos could move Glasgow to center and Elijah Wilkinson to right guard.
7. Who plays left tackle?
Fangio and general manager John Elway declared left tackle open for competition between Wilkinson (last year’s right tackle) and former first-round pick Garett Bolles.
The Broncos declined Bolles’ 2021 contract option earlier this month, but that means nothing for the present. The best case should be Bolles keeps the job and Wilkinson can be used in any number of ways (starting guard, fill-in right tackle and valuable backup).
8. Has enough been added to rescue special teams?
The Broncos were 21st in pro football writer Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams ranking, the usual gold standard among team executives and coaches.
New are long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer and punter Sam Martin. The return game is open for competition, although Spencer showed some flashes last year. Among the core players, the Broncos need Beck, Malik Reed and to-be-determined rookies to establish roles.
9. Will Gordon and Phillip Lindsay have a near-equal share of carries?
Last year, 12 teams had two tailbacks with at least 100 carries — Baltimore, Buffalo, the Broncos, Green Bay, Kansas City, the Chargers, Minnesota, New Orleans, the Raiders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay — and San Francisco had three.
If Shurmur wants, there is nothing wrong with a near-even split between Gordon and Lindsay. Even if the attempts are even, expect Gordon to play more snaps because of his third-down experience.
10. Wait, no questions about Lock?
No. Teammates say Lock has been impressive during the video conference meetings, showing a good grasp of the offense and a willingness to be vocal.
The offseason plan was to surround Lock with offensive talent in general and offensive talent with speed in particular. Now it’s up to him to perform.


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Dikembe Mutombo: Our lives “mean nothing” if we’re silent about George Floyd

Prior to Wednesday night , NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo had only seen short clips of the Minneapolis police officer digging his knee into George Floyd ’ s neck .
But that night , as Mutombo lumbered downstairs in his Atlanta home for a workout , he couldn ’ t look away from the excruciating 10-minute video that captured Floyd ’ s death .
Mutombo was so distraught he couldn ’ t finish his workout .
“ I cried yesterday , by myself at the gym , ” Mutombo said .
“ I stopped working out and I cried like for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NBA , from superstars LeBron James and Steph Curry down to several current Nuggets players .
Point guard Monte Morris tweeted : “ I always think what if it wasn ’ t cameras for situations like this .
These dirty cops will still be walking our streets free !
This has to stop .
WE WANT JUSTICE !
!
!
” Others , like Gary Harris and Torrey Craig , shared public posts in support of Floyd on their Instagram feeds .
Mutombo considers himself a global citizen .
A problem affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , fighting or injustice – is a problem that pertains to everyone .
“ If you ’ re living in this planet , if it ’ s not your concern , that means you don ’ t live here , ” Mutombo said .
“ You are living in other places .
I think George didn ’ t deserve to die .
Don ’ t tell me someone would get killed no matter the color of his race because of 20 dollars or whatever , 10 dollars .
Come on .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than that ( and ) they don ’ t get killed.
” Mutombo ’ s career spanned six franchises and 18 seasons .
Throughout that time he said he befriended multiple police officers and many that he still keeps up with .
Whenever he ’ s in their city , it ’ s not uncommon for them to grab a meal together .
But Mutombo couldn ’ t shake the image of Floyd pleading and begging for his life .
“ The policeman didn ’ t do nothing , continued to press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what Martin Luther King said that our lives begin to end the day we ’ re becoming silenced about the things that matter .
Our lives will mean nothing if I don ’ t do nothing of the things that ’ s happening in front of me .
You see someone be killed and you don ’ t speak out about the injustice , then that ’ s the end of your life because you ’ re going to be next.
” It ’ s personal for Mutombo .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16-year-old , and he thinks about them leaving the house to get a sandwich or walking outside to find some ice cream .
That leads to more vital questions .
What type of society is he leaving for future generations ?
What type of trauma is being inflicted as new , nauseating videos of black men being killed circulate around the internet ?
These are the thoughts that plague him as the videos and the protests roil on .
“ All we as global citizens , we ’ re just asking for justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s all I ’ m asking myself .
I want to see justice .
”

Prior to Wednesday night, NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo had only seen short clips of the Minneapolis police officer digging his knee into George Floyd’s neck.
But that night, as Mutombo lumbered downstairs in his Atlanta home for a workout, he couldn’t look away from the excruciating 10-minute video that captured Floyd’s death.
Mutombo was so distraught he couldn’t finish his workout.
“I cried yesterday, by myself at the gym,” Mutombo said. “I stopped working out and I cried like for 10 minutes.”
Outrage was shared across the NBA, from superstars LeBron James and Steph Curry down to several current Nuggets players. Point guard Monte Morris tweeted: “I always think what if it wasn’t cameras for situations like this. These dirty cops will still be walking our streets free! This has to stop. WE WANT JUSTICE!!!”
I always think what if it wasn’t cameras for situations like this. These dirty cops will still be walking our streets free! This has to stop WE WANT JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!! — Monte Morris (@BigGameTae) May 29, 2020
Others, like Gary Harris and Torrey Craig, shared public posts in support of Floyd on their Instagram feeds.
Mutombo considers himself a global citizen. A problem affecting one part of the world – a pandemic, fighting or injustice – is a problem that pertains to everyone.
“If you’re living in this planet, if it’s not your concern, that means you don’t live here,” Mutombo said. “You are living in other places. I think George didn’t deserve to die. Don’t tell me someone would get killed no matter the color of his race because of 20 dollars or whatever, 10 dollars. Come on. I’ve seen people do bad things more than that (and) they don’t get killed.”
Mutombo’s career spanned six franchises and 18 seasons. Throughout that time he said he befriended multiple police officers and many that he still keeps up with. Whenever he’s in their city, it’s not uncommon for them to grab a meal together. But Mutombo couldn’t shake the image of Floyd pleading and begging for his life.
“The policeman didn’t do nothing, continued to press,” he said. “That’s what Martin Luther King said that our lives begin to end the day we’re becoming silenced about the things that matter. Our lives will mean nothing if I don’t do nothing of the things that’s happening in front of me. You see someone be killed and you don’t speak out about the injustice, then that’s the end of your life because you’re going to be next.”
It’s personal for Mutombo. He has two sons, a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old, and he thinks about them leaving the house to get a sandwich or walking outside to find some ice cream. That leads to more vital questions. What type of society is he leaving for future generations? What type of trauma is being inflicted as new, nauseating videos of black men being killed circulate around the internet?
These are the thoughts that plague him as the videos and the protests roil on.
“All we as global citizens, we’re just asking for justice,” Mutombo said. “That’s all I’m asking myself. I want to see justice.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Ranking the Top 10 best Colorado-born hockey players in NHL history

Thanks to the Avalanche ’ s arrival in 1995 , Colorado has become a significant producer of junior , college and professional hockey talent over the past 25 years .
The state still trails traditional powers such as Minnesota , Michigan and Massachusetts in developing future professional players , but the gap has shrunk .
Here is The Denver Post ’ s top 10 Colorado-born hockey players to have reached the NHL , with a heavy emphasis on those who played all or most of their youth hockey ( 18-under ) in the state .
The son of Canadian defenseman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Denver roster for two seasons from 1956 to 1958 , Mike starred at the University of Wisconsin for four years and led the Badgers to an NCAA title in 1977 .
Eaves , 63 , went on to a seven-year NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars and Calgary Flames , producing 226 points in 324 games .
The Dallas Stars ’ current No .
1 goalie was born in Denver but grew up in Missouri .
He was drafted in 2005 by St. Louis but only played briefly for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
1 guy for Tampa Bay in 2013-14 .
The 6-foot-7 Bishop , 33 , played high school hockey ( Chaminade College Prep ) in St. Louis for the same team as future DU Pioneers Chris Butler and Paul Stastny .
Bishop has an estimated career earnings of more than $ 36 million .
Shore , 29 , grew up in Cherry Hills and played Colorado youth hockey until age 13 .
He further developed in Canada and Michigan before returning to Colorado as a DU Pioneer , serving as co-captain as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scoring .
He was drafted 44th overall in 2009 by Calgary and played 94 NHL games for Florida , Calgary and Vancouver before taking his talents to Europe .
He played this past season in Russia ’ s Kontinental Hockey League .
The son of former DU goalie , assistant coach and administrator Ron Grahame played three years for Lake Superior State right after the Lakers won their second national title in three years in 1994 .
He then went on play in 224 NHL games and win the 2004 Stanley Cup as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Grahame , a 44-year-old Denver native , was a Boston Bruins rookie and opposing goalie in 1999 when the Avs played their first game at Pepsi Center .
He later was an Avs minor-league goalie with the Lake Erie Monsters ( 2009-11 ) .
But he never played for the local NHL club .
Shore , 27 , is a development gem of the double-A Littleton Hockey Association and triple-A Colorado Thunderbirds .
He ’ s currently a depth center for the Winnipeg Jets , playing for his fifth NHL team in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed his older brother Drew to the U.S. National Development Program in 2008 and played three years at the University of Denver from 2010-13 before signing with the Los Angeles Kings , who selected him 82nd overall in 2011 .
Hale , 38 , dominated the southern Colorado youth scene before playing two years of junior-A for Sioux City and then three for the University of North Dakota .
As a freshman in 2000-2001 , Hale played in 44 games , including the last one — a 3-2 overtime loss to Boston College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a 2002 first-round pick of New Jersey and played in 327 NHL games for the Devils and four other teams .
Hale also represented Colorado and his country at the 2001 World Junior Championship .
The former University of Denver and U.S. World Junior star from Highlands Ranch is a second-year player for the Anaheim Ducks and ranks eighth among Colorado natives in NHL games played ( 81 ) , goals ( eight ) and points ( 28 ) .
But he ’ s an American international celebrity who could become the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHLers .
Terry , 22 , played for Littleton and the Colorado Thunderbirds before playing one season in Michigan and graduating from high school in three years .
He then joined DU as a 17-year-old and , as a sophomore , he helped the Pioneers win the 2017 NCAA championship — about four months after going 4-for-4 in shootouts to lead Team USA to World Junior Championship semifinal and final victories over Russia and Canada , respectively .
Terry had both game-winning goals .
Duffus played just one NHL game , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver native , 50 , is considered the state ’ s best player of his generation .
A Colorado high-school sensation , Duffus went on to play juniors in Saskatchewan before beginning a two-year NCAA career at Cornell .
He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 1990 and , although his NHL career never flourished , he was a minor-league and European standout who led Team USA to a bronze medal at the 1996 World Championship — America ’ s first medal in 34 years .
His professional/international career spanned 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a top-four blue-liner for the Boston Bruins , the NHL ’ s best team , and the shutdown defenseman came a Game 7 victory shy of winning the Stanley Cup last summer .
He grew up playing for the Colorado Springs Junior Tigers before joining the triple-A Colorado Thunderbirds and commuting to the Denver area .
He chose the major-junior route with the WHL ’ s Tri-City Americans and was selected by Boston 37th overall in 2015 .
He ’ s now considered among the top five defensemen in his draft class .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ career ( 18-under ) in Colorado , Slavin , 26 , is currently an alternate captain and NHL All-Star for the Carolina Hurricanes .
He played Colorado double-A youth for Hyland Hills and Littleton , triple-A midget for the Colorado Thunderbirds ’ 16U and 18U teams , two years of junior-A in Chicago and two years at Colorado College before making an immediate impact with the Hurricanes , who “ stole ” him with the 120th pick of the 2012 draft .
Slavin played just 14 games in the minors as a first-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Canes , who signed him to a seven-year , $ 37.1 million contract in 2017 .
Honorable mention : F Brandon ( B.J . )
Crombeen , Denver ( type-1 diabetic mostly raised in Ontario , Canada , played in 445 NHL games ) ; F Brendan Lemieux , Denver ( son of former Avs Claude Lemieux , identifies as being Canadian ) ; D Joe Noris , Denver ( played in 55 NHL games and 198 in rival WHL ) .

Thanks to the Avalanche’s arrival in 1995, Colorado has become a significant producer of junior, college and professional hockey talent over the past 25 years. The state still trails traditional powers such as Minnesota, Michigan and Massachusetts in developing future professional players, but the gap has shrunk.
Here is The Denver Post’s top 10 Colorado-born hockey players to have reached the NHL, with a heavy emphasis on those who played all or most of their youth hockey (18-under) in the state.
10. Mike Eaves
F | Denver | 1979-86
The son of Canadian defenseman Cecil Eaves, who was on the University of Denver roster for two seasons from 1956 to 1958, Mike starred at the University of Wisconsin for four years and led the Badgers to an NCAA title in 1977. Eaves, 63, went on to a seven-year NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars and Calgary Flames, producing 226 points in 324 games.
9. Ben Bishop
G | Denver | 2008-present
The Dallas Stars’ current No. 1 goalie was born in Denver but grew up in Missouri. He was drafted in 2005 by St. Louis but only played briefly for the Blues and Ottawa Senators before becoming the No. 1 guy for Tampa Bay in 2013-14. The 6-foot-7 Bishop, 33, played high school hockey (Chaminade College Prep) in St. Louis for the same team as future DU Pioneers Chris Butler and Paul Stastny. Bishop has an estimated career earnings of more than $36 million.
8. Drew Shore
F | Denver | 2012-17
Shore, 29, grew up in Cherry Hills and played Colorado youth hockey until age 13. He further developed in Canada and Michigan before returning to Colorado as a DU Pioneer, serving as co-captain as a junior and leading the team in scoring. He was drafted 44th overall in 2009 by Calgary and played 94 NHL games for Florida, Calgary and Vancouver before taking his talents to Europe. He played this past season in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.
7. John Grahame
G | Denver | 1999-2008
The son of former DU goalie, assistant coach and administrator Ron Grahame played three years for Lake Superior State right after the Lakers won their second national title in three years in 1994. He then went on play in 224 NHL games and win the 2004 Stanley Cup as a backup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Grahame, a 44-year-old Denver native, was a Boston Bruins rookie and opposing goalie in 1999 when the Avs played their first game at Pepsi Center. He later was an Avs minor-league goalie with the Lake Erie Monsters (2009-11). But he never played for the local NHL club.
6. Nick Shore
F | Denver | 2014-present
Shore, 27, is a development gem of the double-A Littleton Hockey Association and triple-A Colorado Thunderbirds. He’s currently a depth center for the Winnipeg Jets, playing for his fifth NHL team in six seasons in the league. Shore followed his older brother Drew to the U.S. National Development Program in 2008 and played three years at the University of Denver from 2010-13 before signing with the Los Angeles Kings, who selected him 82nd overall in 2011.
5. David Hale
D | Colorado Springs | 2003-2011
Hale, 38, dominated the southern Colorado youth scene before playing two years of junior-A for Sioux City and then three for the University of North Dakota. As a freshman in 2000-2001, Hale played in 44 games, including the last one — a 3-2 overtime loss to Boston College in the NCAA championship game. He was a 2002 first-round pick of New Jersey and played in 327 NHL games for the Devils and four other teams. Hale also represented Colorado and his country at the 2001 World Junior Championship.
4. Troy Terry
F | Denver | 2018-present
The former University of Denver and U.S. World Junior star from Highlands Ranch is a second-year player for the Anaheim Ducks and ranks eighth among Colorado natives in NHL games played (81), goals (eight) and points (28). But he’s an American international celebrity who could become the state’s all-time leading scorer among NHLers. Terry, 22, played for Littleton and the Colorado Thunderbirds before playing one season in Michigan and graduating from high school in three years. He then joined DU as a 17-year-old and, as a sophomore, he helped the Pioneers win the 2017 NCAA championship — about four months after going 4-for-4 in shootouts to lead Team USA to World Junior Championship semifinal and final victories over Russia and Canada, respectively. Terry had both game-winning goals.
3. Parris Duffus
G | Denver | 1996-97
Duffus played just one NHL game, with the Phoenix Coyotes in 1997. But the Denver native, 50, is considered the state’s best player of his generation. A Colorado high-school sensation, Duffus went on to play juniors in Saskatchewan before beginning a two-year NCAA career at Cornell. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 1990 and, although his NHL career never flourished, he was a minor-league and European standout who led Team USA to a bronze medal at the 1996 World Championship — America’s first medal in 34 years. His professional/international career spanned 18 seasons.
2. Brandon Carlo
D | Colorado Springs | 2016-present
Carlo, 23, is a top-four blue-liner for the Boston Bruins, the NHL’s best team, and the shutdown defenseman came a Game 7 victory shy of winning the Stanley Cup last summer. He grew up playing for the Colorado Springs Junior Tigers before joining the triple-A Colorado Thunderbirds and commuting to the Denver area. He chose the major-junior route with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans and was selected by Boston 37th overall in 2015. He’s now considered among the top five defensemen in his draft class.
1. Jaccob Slavin
D | Denver | 2015-present
After playing nearly all of his youth career (18-under) in Colorado, Slavin, 26, is currently an alternate captain and NHL All-Star for the Carolina Hurricanes. He played Colorado double-A youth for Hyland Hills and Littleton, triple-A midget for the Colorado Thunderbirds’ 16U and 18U teams, two years of junior-A in Chicago and two years at Colorado College before making an immediate impact with the Hurricanes, who “stole” him with the 120th pick of the 2012 draft. Slavin played just 14 games in the minors as a first-year professional before becoming a key player for the Canes, who signed him to a seven-year, $37.1 million contract in 2017.
Honorable mention: F Brandon (B.J.) Crombeen, Denver (type-1 diabetic mostly raised in Ontario, Canada, played in 445 NHL games); F Brendan Lemieux, Denver (son of former Avs Claude Lemieux, identifies as being Canadian); D Joe Noris, Denver (played in 55 NHL games and 198 in rival WHL).


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Inside a Colorado hospital’s COVID-19 unit, a quiet fight to keep coronavirus patients breathing

The patient , sitting on the side of her hospital bed , is one of the few awake in the pod .
Many are in medically induced comas so their bodies won ’ t fight the blue-and-white tubes connecting them to the machines that breathe for them .
Their lungs are too damaged , too filled with fluid and infection , from COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has sickened tens of thousands of Coloradans .
So they lay unconscious as ventilators pump air in and out of their lungs .
Here in one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center of Aurora , patients are sequestered behind glass doors and windows .
Visitors are scarce .
And even on calm days , such as this one in late May , the gravity of COVID-19 is ever-present .
The patient sitting up on her bed is working very hard to breathe on her own .
Too hard .
The team here will need to help , or she ’ ll continue to get worse .
So by mid-morning , a respiratory therapist arrives , carrying a red box full of supplies that draws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital ’ s director of critical care .
In the intensive care unit of this Aurora hospital , many patients need ventilators — the breathing machines that have become a crucial tool in fighting the new strain of coronavirus that ’ s circling the globe .
The decision to intubate a patient is not one that clinicians take lightly , as to do so means to sedate a person and insert a tube down their airway — all while never knowing when or even if they ’ ll wake up .
The number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaked at 39 — all but four of whom had COVID-19 — a month ago .
But on this day , the staff in the ICU are still caring for more than 20 patients sick with the respiratory illness , and most are on ventilators .
It ’ s a stark reminder that even as Colorado ’ s coronavirus hospitalizations continue to decline and restaurants and parks reopen , the pandemic is not over .
The staffers working in this pod are still on the front lines , battling a disease for which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since their first patient with COVID-19 arrived in early March , they have treated a total of 412 people with the coronavirus in the facility , learning how to work through the uncertainty of the pandemic .
In these past three months , hospital staffers have gained confidence in the treatments they deploy , but have watched even young , otherwise healthy patients struggle to survive .
They themselves have weathered their first peak of the outbreak , yet worry about a potential second wave of infections as measures meant to stem the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of us are concerned that there will be little peaks coming up as things open up and we don ’ t have the same level of social distancing and awareness of the virus , ” says Dr. Chakradhar Kotaru , medical director of the ICU .
“ But it probably will not be as high as it was when the peak first hit.
” Amy Cooper put on a second pair of blue gloves , making sure there ’ s no gap between them and the sleeve of her protective gown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the pod .
It ’ s just slightly more comfortable than the N95 masks her colleagues wear inside patient rooms Cooper , who began her shift at 7 a.m. , is part of the team of nurses , doctors and respiratory therapists preparing to place the patient on a ventilator .
Today ’ s procedure is planned , unlike those a month ago when staff were having to quickly intubate COVID patients one after another .
“ Do you need anything before I come in ?
” Cooper asks a coworker before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room .
“ Amy , I ’ m going to stay , too , and I can be a runner , ” says Veronica Duffy , another nurse , as she moves to stand against the wall across from the room .
Once nurses and doctors enter a patient ’ s room in a COVID pod , they try not to leave until they are finished with their tasks because each time they exit they must change their personal protective gear .
So Duffy is there , on watch , ready to grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Placing a patient on a ventilator carries one of the highest risks of exposure for hospital workers because the intubation can aerosolize virus particles .
Because of how easily the new coronavirus can spread , staffers sometimes use clear drapes that they place over patients like tents to act as shields while clinicians insert tubes through mouths and down airways .
“ These are kind of uncharted waters , ” Duffy says .
Those working in the ICU are used to caring for the hospital ’ s sickest patients .
Yet in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learn how COVID-19 affects people ’ s bodies and how to treat patients with the disease while responding to one of the most serious viral outbreaks in a century .
The lungs are often the first organs affected by COVID-19 , which can cause potentially deadly illnesses such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome , or ARDS .
But in the months since the first case was confirmed in Colorado , doctors and nurses have discovered the disease doesn ’ t affect everyone — or all bodies — the same .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause strokes and heart attacks can form .
And in children , the virus appears to cause a rare multisystem inflammatory syndrome called MIS-C. “ A challenging part of COVID-19 is that we are still learning as we ’ re treating patients , ” Kotaru says , adding , “ It is a surprising disease because it ’ s not like a typical flu .
So it does have other aspects to it that flu does not have.
” The hospital ’ s location in Aurora means that it ’ s in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of Colorado ’ s 10 most populous counties , Arapahoe and Adams counties have among the highest cases per capita , with the former recording the highest death rate at 46.7 fatalities per 100,000 people , according to data from the state Department of Public Health and Environment .
In Colorado , more than 25,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 1,100 have died from the disease , according to the agency Many of the patients coming to the hospital , Kotaru says , have been Latino , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus at a disproportionately high rate but has also experienced more hospitalizations in some parts of the state .
In late March , as the number of patients increased , the Medical Center of Aurora converted two other areas of the facility into intensive care units to handle the overflow .
The post-anesthesia care unit , or PACU , was transformed into negative air pressure rooms for coronavirus patients , while the catheterization lab was used for non-COVID patients .
At its peak , there were 50 patients in the ICU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hospitalizations from the disease have declined statewide in recent weeks .
At their highest point , in April , Colorado ’ s hospitals were treating 888 people for COVID-19 .
Last week , hospitalizations dropped below 350 individuals , according to the state health department .
As hospitalizations decreased , the overflow rooms in the so-called cath lab closed on May 16 and those in the post-anesthesia unit followed three days later .
Now , all critically ill patients are treated in the 38-bed ICU .
“ Even though we had talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I would say we were pretty close to reaching our capacity at that point , ” Kotaru says .
“ More also from a staffing standpoint , rather than a treatment of patient standpoint.
” At the start of the outbreak , Colorado health officials warned of a potential surge in COVID-19 patients that could overwhelm hospitals by creating shortages in ventilators and personal protective equipment , or PPE , as it was already doing in hotspots such as New York City .
In such a scenario , it was feared many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapists trained to treat critically ill patients would become sick , with healthy workers left to face the difficult job of deciding which patients would receive life-saving care , such as treatment from a ventilator .
So far , staff at the Medical Center of Aurora have been spared from making those difficult ethical and moral decisions .
They were able to get more ventilators from other hospitals , health systems and even schools .
And during the peak , the workers say , they never faced the shortage in PPE that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
“ I ’ m blown away by the number of us that have not gotten sick , ” says Pike Quinn , one of the respiratory therapists on duty in the COVID pod .
“ A lot of us want to go see if we have antibodies.
” “ It just feels like we ’ re trying to keep them alive ” In the patient ’ s room , Cooper explains how severely COVID-19 has damaged her lungs and why the clinicians must take such a serious next step in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be sedated , is scared .
“ I ’ m sorry , ” one of the two nurses tells the patient , her voice muffled by the glass .
The pair are comforting the patient , Cooper recalls later , reassuring her that the team will watch over her .
“ I find it pretty gratifying , to be honest , to know that I can be there to provide that support that someone needs ” she says .
It ’ s tricky treating COVID-19 patients , Cooper says , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have enough oxygen , they often don ’ t exhibit the restlessness , confusion and “ air hungriness ” that other hypoxic patients experience .
“ And they don ’ t feel terrible , and that ’ s the strange thing , ” Cooper says .
“ I can ’ t tell you how many times I ’ ve heard a patient say to me , ‘ But I don ’ t feel like I need the oxygen .
I feel OK. ’ But your lungs just aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to safely place a person on a ventilator , knowing these patients can end up on the machines for weeks — and some may not survive .
One example of this occurred early on in the pandemic , as physicians in Colorado ’ s mountain towns transported patients at risk of becoming critically ill to hospitals at lower elevations , hoping it would ease symptoms , and , just maybe , prevent the necessity of a ventilator .
On this day in May , 18 of the 23 patients with COVID-19 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when treating patients with a ventilator , such as after a trauma or surgery , staff tries to take them off of the machines after two to three days .
But with COVID-19 , they ’ re finding people are on the machines for an average of nine days — and some even as long as 45 to 50 days .
Of the 91 COVID-19 patients that the Aurora hospital ’ s staff have placed on ventilators over the course of the outbreak , 72 have come off of the machines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 34 died and 38 survived .
“ I just haven ’ t seen this many people this sick for ( such ) a long time , ” says Quinn , the respiratory therapist .
“ Right now it just feels like we ’ re trying to keep them alive.
” He ’ s among the team of clinicians intubating the patient .
Before he enters the room , Quinn dons a white respiratory hood , which has a blower that pushes air outward from his face to prevent virus particles from getting inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to get a proper fit on their N95 masks .
Outside , Duffy , the nurse , keeps watch .
“ Do you want the tent ?
” she asks about the drape occasionally used as a shield during intubation .
On the other side of the glass , Cooper shakes her head “ no.
” Not long after , a coworker gestures at Duffy .
The team needs something .
“ The Glidescope ?
” she asks before rushing to find the machine that will allow the clinicians to view the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Duffy doesn ’ t find it in the ward , so she dashes off to another part of the hospital , telling those inside the room , “ I ’ m going to have to go to the main pod.
” Once the machine is found and in the patient ’ s room , Duffy sanitizes her hands and returns to her spot against the wall , awaiting the next order .
It doesn ’ t take long .
Cooper presses her face to the glass and extends her fingers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes off once more , this time in search of a sedative .
“ The world has no idea what this looks like ’ These days , visitors are rarely allowed in the ICU , a restriction put in place because of how easily the coronavirus spreads .
They only come when clinicians need to make important decisions about care , such as end-of-life determinations .
They ’ re so rare that when one staffer spots a pair on a recent day , he remarks , “ It ’ s been so long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to visit the COVID-19 unit , the names and phone numbers of relatives are written on the glass outside patients ’ rooms so staffers caring for them can easily call or FaceTime the patients ’ loved ones .
It ’ s a difficult task , especially when a patient has spent weeks on a ventilator and nurses aren ’ t sure if they ’ ll survive .
“ It ’ s so hard to convey just how concerned we are and what we ’ re seeing , ” Cooper says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wall that the world has no idea what this looks like for people.
” While the hospital has discharged 80 % of all patients admitted with the new coronavirus , the staff recalls losing two to three patients day during last month ’ s peak .
Once the hospital saw six patients with COVID-19 die in a single day .
“ The ICU gets that percentage ( of patients ) that typically don ’ t make it , ” says Burley , the director of critical care .
“ For the nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re ventilated for weeks — that ’ s what makes it the hardest to continue to push through.
” More than an hour after the intubation began , Cooper emerges from the patient ’ s room and removes her respirator .
Her face is red from marks left by the mask .
She puts on a lighter , yellow surgical mask and wipes down the red box of supplies .
Behind her , the patient lays silently as the ventilator pushes air into her lungs , and a stillness overtakes the pod @

The patient, sitting on the side of her hospital bed, is one of the few awake in the pod. Many are in medically induced comas so their bodies won’t fight the blue-and-white tubes connecting them to the machines that breathe for them.
Their lungs are too damaged, too filled with fluid and infection, from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that has sickened tens of thousands of Coloradans. So they lie unconscious as ventilators pump air in and out of their lungs.
Here in one of the three COVID pods at The Medical Center of Aurora, patients are sequestered behind glass doors and windows. Visitors are scarce. And even on calm days, such as this one in late May, the gravity of COVID-19 is ever-present.
The patient sitting up on her bed is working very hard to breathe on her own. Too hard. The team here will need to help, or she’ll continue to get worse.
So by mid-morning, a respiratory therapist arrives, carrying a red box full of supplies that draws the attention of Breanne Burley, the hospital’s director of critical care.
“Intubation time?” she asks.
Telling this story The Medical Center of Aurora recently gave The Denver Post a rare look inside its COVID-19 unit, allowing reporter Jessica Seaman and photographer AAron Ontiveroz to spend several hours observing the treatment of coronavirus patients and interviewing the hospital’s medical staff. The Post agreed to protect patient confidentiality. All photos and scenes described in this story are from that day.
In the intensive care unit of this Aurora hospital, many patients need ventilators — the breathing machines that have become a crucial tool in fighting the new strain of coronavirus that’s circling the globe. The decision to intubate a patient is not one that clinicians take lightly, as to do so means to sedate a person and insert a tube down their airway — all while never knowing when or even if they’ll wake up.
The number of patients on ventilators at the hospital peaked at 39 — all but four of whom had COVID-19 — a month ago. But on this day, the staff in the ICU are still caring for more than 20 patients sick with the respiratory illness, and most are on ventilators. It’s a stark reminder that even as Colorado’s coronavirus hospitalizations continue to decline and restaurants and parks reopen, the pandemic is not over.
The staffers working in this pod are still on the front lines, battling a disease for which there is no vaccine or cure. Since their first patient with COVID-19 arrived in early March, they have treated a total of 412 people with the coronavirus in the facility, learning how to work through the uncertainty of the pandemic.
In these past three months, hospital staffers have gained confidence in the treatments they deploy, but have watched even young, otherwise healthy patients struggle to survive. They themselves have weathered their first peak of the outbreak, yet worry about a potential second wave of infections as measures meant to stem the virus’ spread are relaxed.
“Most of us are concerned that there will be little peaks coming up as things open up and we don’t have the same level of social distancing and awareness of the virus,” says Dr. Chakradhar Kotaru, medical director of the ICU. “But it probably will not be as high as it was when the peak first hit.”
“Uncharted waters”
Amy Cooper put on a second pair of blue gloves, making sure there’s no gap between them and the sleeve of her protective gown. The nurse wears a respiratory mask donated to the pod. It’s just slightly more comfortable than the N95 masks her colleagues wear inside patient rooms
Cooper, who began her shift at 7 a.m., is part of the team of nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists preparing to place the patient on a ventilator. Today’s procedure is planned, unlike those a month ago when staff were having to quickly intubate COVID patients one after another.
“Do you need anything before I come in?” Cooper asks a coworker before joining her inside the patient’s room.
“Amy, I’m going to stay, too, and I can be a runner,” says Veronica Duffy, another nurse, as she moves to stand against the wall across from the room.
Once nurses and doctors enter a patient’s room in a COVID pod, they try not to leave until they are finished with their tasks because each time they exit they must change their personal protective gear. So Duffy is there, on watch, ready to grab anything her coworkers inside might need.
Placing a patient on a ventilator carries one of the highest risks of exposure for hospital workers because the intubation can aerosolize virus particles. Because of how easily the new coronavirus can spread, staffers sometimes use clear drapes that they place over patients like tents to act as shields while clinicians insert tubes through mouths and down airways.
“These are kind of uncharted waters,” Duffy says.
Those working in the ICU are used to caring for the hospital’s sickest patients. Yet in the past several months they’ve had to learn how COVID-19 affects people’s bodies and how to treat patients with the disease while responding to one of the most serious viral outbreaks in a century.
The lungs are often the first organs affected by COVID-19, which can cause potentially deadly illnesses such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. But in the months since the first case was confirmed in Colorado, doctors and nurses have discovered the disease doesn’t affect everyone — or all bodies — the same. Kidneys can fail. Blood clots that cause strokes and heart attacks can form. And in children, the virus appears to cause a rare multisystem inflammatory syndrome called MIS-C.
“A challenging part of COVID-19 is that we are still learning as we’re treating patients,” Kotaru says, adding, “It is a surprising disease because it’s not like a typical flu. So it does have other aspects to it that flu does not have.”
The hospital’s location in Aurora means that it’s in one of the state’s hotspots. Of Colorado’s 10 most populous counties, Arapahoe and Adams counties have among the highest cases per capita, with the former recording the highest death rate at 46.7 fatalities per 100,000 people, according to data from the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
In Colorado, more than 25,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and more than 1,100 have died from the disease, according to the agency
Many of the patients coming to the hospital, Kotaru says, have been Latino, a population that has not only become sick with the coronavirus at a disproportionately high rate but has also experienced more hospitalizations in some parts of the state.
In late March, as the number of patients increased, the Medical Center of Aurora converted two other areas of the facility into intensive care units to handle the overflow. The post-anesthesia care unit, or PACU, was transformed into negative air pressure rooms for coronavirus patients, while the catheterization lab was used for non-COVID patients. At its peak, there were 50 patients in the ICU, 42 of whom had the coronavirus.
Hospitalizations from the disease have declined statewide in recent weeks. At their highest point, in April, Colorado’s hospitals were treating 888 people for COVID-19. Last week, hospitalizations dropped below 350 individuals, according to the state health department.
As hospitalizations decreased, the overflow rooms in the so-called cath lab closed on May 16 and those in the post-anesthesia unit followed three days later. Now, all critically ill patients are treated in the 38-bed ICU.
“Even though we had talks about where the next patients could go, I would say we were pretty close to reaching our capacity at that point,” Kotaru says. “More also from a staffing standpoint, rather than a treatment of patient standpoint.”
At the start of the outbreak, Colorado health officials warned of a potential surge in COVID-19 patients that could overwhelm hospitals by creating shortages in ventilators and personal protective equipment, or PPE, as it was already doing in hotspots such as New York City.
In such a scenario, it was feared many of the doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists trained to treat critically ill patients would become sick, with healthy workers left to face the difficult job of deciding which patients would receive life-saving care, such as treatment from a ventilator.
So far, staff at the Medical Center of Aurora have been spared from making those difficult ethical and moral decisions. They were able to get more ventilators from other hospitals, health systems and even schools. And during the peak, the workers say, they never faced the shortage in PPE that their colleagues struggled with in other corners of the country.
“I’m blown away by the number of us that have not gotten sick,” says Pike Quinn, one of the respiratory therapists on duty in the COVID pod. “A lot of us want to go see if we have antibodies.”
“It just feels like we’re trying to keep them alive”
In the patient’s room, Cooper explains how severely COVID-19 has damaged her lungs and why the clinicians must take such a serious next step in treatment. The patient, who will need to be sedated, is scared.
“I’m sorry,” one of the two nurses tells the patient, her voice muffled by the glass.
The pair are comforting the patient, Cooper recalls later, reassuring her that the team will watch over her.
“I find it pretty gratifying, to be honest, to know that I can be there to provide that support that someone needs” she says.
It’s tricky treating COVID-19 patients, Cooper says, because when they reach the point where they don’t have enough oxygen, they often don’t exhibit the restlessness, confusion and “air hungriness” that other hypoxic patients experience.
“And they don’t feel terrible, and that’s the strange thing,” Cooper says. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a patient say to me, ‘But I don’t feel like I need the oxygen. I feel OK.’ But your lungs just aren’t working well.”
Physicians try to determine when to safely place a person on a ventilator, knowing these patients can end up on the machines for weeks — and some may not survive. One example of this occurred early on in the pandemic, as physicians in Colorado’s mountain towns transported patients at risk of becoming critically ill to hospitals at lower elevations, hoping it would ease symptoms, and, just maybe, prevent the necessity of a ventilator.
On this day in May, 18 of the 23 patients with COVID-19 in the ICU are on ventilators. Normally, when treating patients with a ventilator, such as after a trauma or surgery, staff tries to take them off of the machines after two to three days. But with COVID-19, they’re finding people are on the machines for an average of nine days — and some even as long as 45 to 50 days.
Of the 91 COVID-19 patients that the Aurora hospital’s staff have placed on ventilators over the course of the outbreak, 72 have come off of the machines. Of those no longer on ventilators, 34 died and 38 survived.
“I just haven’t seen this many people this sick for (such) a long time,” says Quinn, the respiratory therapist. “Right now it just feels like we’re trying to keep them alive.”
He’s among the team of clinicians intubating the patient. Before he enters the room, Quinn dons a white respiratory hood, which has a blower that pushes air outward from his face to prevent virus particles from getting inside. These hoods are available to staffers unable to get a proper fit on their N95 masks.
Outside, Duffy, the nurse, keeps watch.
“Do you want the tent?” she asks about the drape occasionally used as a shield during intubation.
On the other side of the glass, Cooper shakes her head “no.” Not long after, a coworker gestures at Duffy. The team needs something.
“The Glidescope?” she asks before rushing to find the machine that will allow the clinicians to view the patient’s airway on a screen.
Duffy doesn’t find it in the ward, so she dashes off to another part of the hospital, telling those inside the room, “I’m going to have to go to the main pod.”
Once the machine is found and in the patient’s room, Duffy sanitizes her hands and returns to her spot against the wall, awaiting the next order. It doesn’t take long. Cooper presses her face to the glass and extends her fingers in the shape of an “L.”
Duffy takes off once more, this time in search of a sedative.
“The world has no idea what this looks like’
These days, visitors are rarely allowed in the ICU, a restriction put in place because of how easily the coronavirus spreads. They only come when clinicians need to make important decisions about care, such as end-of-life determinations. They’re so rare that when one staffer spots a pair on a recent day, he remarks, “It’s been so long since family visitation.”
With most families unable to visit the COVID-19 unit, the names and phone numbers of relatives are written on the glass outside patients’ rooms so staffers caring for them can easily call or FaceTime the patients’ loved ones.
It’s a difficult task, especially when a patient has spent weeks on a ventilator and nurses aren’t sure if they’ll survive.
“It’s so hard to convey just how concerned we are and what we’re seeing,” Cooper says, “because it’s just so off the wall that the world has no idea what this looks like for people.”
While the hospital has discharged 80% of all patients admitted with the new coronavirus, the staff recalls losing two to three patients day during last month’s peak. Once the hospital saw six patients with COVID-19 die in a single day.
“The ICU gets that percentage (of patients) that typically don’t make it,” says Burley, the director of critical care. “For the nurses taking care of these patients when they’re ventilated for weeks — that’s what makes it the hardest to continue to push through.”
More than an hour after the intubation began, Cooper emerges from the patient’s room and removes her respirator. Her face is red from marks left by the mask. She puts on a lighter, yellow surgical mask and wipes down the red box of supplies.
Behind her, the patient lies silently as the ventilator pushes air into her lungs, and a stillness overtakes the pod.


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Post Premium: Our best stories for the week of May 25-31

Data from the state health department this week reinforced the theory that coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths peaked in Colorado last month , and health officials are hopeful the worst is behind us , although an increase in new infections is expected as the state opens back up and testing increases significantly .
And the pandemic continues to sicken Coloradans and claim lives .
That ’ s why this inside account of The Medical Center of Aurora ’ s COVID-19 unit is so important .
The hospital granted The Denver Post rare access to the part of its intensive care unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing reporter Jessica Seaman and photographer AAron Ontiveroz to spend several hours observing treatment and talking to doctors , nurses and other medical staff .
What they saw — captured in today ’ s gripping story and powerful photos — is the quiet daily struggle to keep coronavirus patients breathing , as illustrated by the intubation they witnessed .
That procedure — the insertion of breathing tubes down a patient ’ s throat so that a ventilator can pump air into their lungs — has become one of the defining scenes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one from which the patient , put into a medically induced coma , may never recover .
We hope these photos and this story will help remind Coloradans that while the worst hopefully has passed , COVID-19 is still a life-or-death fight for these brave medical staffers on the front lines , doing everything they can to keep these patients breathing .
Five of our best stories from the past week Thousands of people gathered in Denver on Saturday in response to the death of George Floyd as Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the city until Monday morning .
The Denver Post will continue to report on this fluid and ongoing story .
For the latest , please visit denverpost.com .
Here are some of our key stories from the past few days : • Denver leaders defend use of chemicals , gas during clashes with protesters • Voices from the George Floyd protest in Denver • Denver police searching for driver who struck protester during George Floyd rally • Denver Post photographer struck twice by pepper balls during George Floyd protest Rocky Mountain National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park businesses continue to grapple with the broadside economic hit the coronavirus delivered to a tourist-dependent town .
Both local and state health orders were handed down that closed many shops , restaurants and accommodations throughout Colorado .
Ben Ferguson , who owns the downtown Hyk mountain apparel shop with his wife , said he expects a 60 % drop in business this summer as people gradually get used to traveling and being around others again .
Read more from John Aguilar… RELATED : Rocky Mountain National Park open on weekend first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Park will require online reservations as they partially reopen Colorado House Rep. Tom Sullivan had a gun bill drafted and ready to introduce before the 2020 legislative session even started in January .
But now , his legislation requiring lost or stolen firearms to be reported is headed toward the chopping block , along with nearly 300 other bills claimed by the coronavirus pandemic .
Read more from Saja Hindi… On reopening day , one top Denver restaurant closes for good As restaurants begin to reopen for dine-in service , one thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishments aren ’ t coming back at all .
Congress Park ’ s 3-year-old 12 @ Madison is the latest to announce its closure following the 10-week coronavirus shutdown in Denver .
Read more from Josie Sexton… RELATED : Denver restaurants that have closed permanently due to coronavirus — The Know An emotional day at Arapahoe Basin as the ski area reopens after coronavirus shutdown — The Know Sarah May got a little teary-eyed on her first trip up the Black Mountain Express chairlift Wednesday as skiers and riders attended reopening day at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus pandemic .
May and her boyfriend have ridden their snowboards in the backcountry a few times since Gov .
Jared Polis ordered ski areas closed on March 15 , but this was different .
This felt like a step toward normalcy .
Read more from John Meyer… + Summer camp chaos : Organizers try to get plans in place for June 1 openings + Suncor reports chemical sheen on Sand Creek , breach of containment area at refinery north of Denver + Rockies ’ Scott Oberg and David Dahl confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ + With guidelines still murky , Colorado bars , breweries start reopening along with restaurants — The Know See more great photos like this on The Denver Post ’ s Instagram account .

Data from the state health department this week reinforced the theory that coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths peaked in Colorado last month, and health officials are hopeful the worst is behind us, although an increase in new infections is expected as the state opens back up and testing increases significantly. And the pandemic continues to sicken Coloradans and claim lives.
That’s why this inside account of The Medical Center of Aurora’s COVID-19 unit is so important. The hospital granted The Denver Post rare access to the part of its intensive care unit where highly infectious coronavirus patients are treated, allowing reporter Jessica Seaman and photographer AAron Ontiveroz to spend several hours observing treatment and talking to doctors, nurses and other medical staff.
What they saw — captured in today’s gripping story and powerful photos — is the quiet daily struggle to keep coronavirus patients breathing, as illustrated by the intubation they witnessed. That procedure — the insertion of breathing tubes down a patient’s throat so that a ventilator can pump air into their lungs — has become one of the defining scenes of the pandemic. And it’s one from which the patient, put into a medically induced coma, may never recover.
We hope these photos and this story will help remind Coloradans that while the worst hopefully has passed, COVID-19 is still a life-or-death fight for these brave medical staffers on the front lines, doing everything they can to keep these patients breathing.
— Matt Sebastian, senior editor/enterprise
Five of our best stories from the past week
Ongoing coverage of George Floyd protests in Denver
Thousands of people gathered in Denver on Saturday in response to the death of George Floyd as Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced an 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew across the city until Monday morning. The Denver Post will continue to report on this fluid and ongoing story. For the latest, please visit denverpost.com.
Here are some of our key stories from the past few days:
Rocky Mountain National Park is slowly reopening, but Estes Park businesses continue to grapple with the broadside economic hit the coronavirus delivered to a tourist-dependent town. Both local and state health orders were handed down that closed many shops, restaurants and accommodations throughout Colorado.
Ben Ferguson, who owns the downtown Hyk mountain apparel shop with his wife, said he expects a 60% drop in business this summer as people gradually get used to traveling and being around others again. Read more from John Aguilar…
RELATED: Rocky Mountain National Park open on weekend first time in 10 weeks
RELATED: Rocky Mountain National Park will require online reservations as they partially reopen
Colorado House Rep. Tom Sullivan had a gun bill drafted and ready to introduce before the 2020 legislative session even started in January. But now, his legislation requiring lost or stolen firearms to be reported is headed toward the chopping block, along with nearly 300 other bills claimed by the coronavirus pandemic. Read more from Saja Hindi…
As restaurants begin to reopen for dine-in service, one thing will soon become apparent: which dining establishments aren’t coming back at all. Congress Park’s 3-year-old 12@Madison is the latest to announce its closure following the 10-week coronavirus shutdown in Denver. Read more from Josie Sexton…
RELATED: Denver restaurants that have closed permanently due to coronavirus — The Know
An emotional day at Arapahoe Basin as the ski area reopens after coronavirus shutdown — The Know
Sarah May got a little teary-eyed on her first trip up the Black Mountain Express chairlift Wednesday as skiers and riders attended reopening day at Arapahoe Basin following a 10-week shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
May and her boyfriend have ridden their snowboards in the backcountry a few times since Gov. Jared Polis ordered ski areas closed on March 15, but this was different. This felt like a step toward normalcy. Read more from John Meyer…
A few more important stories
+ Court upholds Colorado Governor Polis’ power to change ballot initiative rules
+ Summer camp chaos: Organizers try to get plans in place for June 1 openings
+ Suncor reports chemical sheen on Sand Creek, breach of containment area at refinery north of Denver
+ Rockies’ Scott Oberg and David Dahl confident in their safety despite compromised immune systems
+ With guidelines still murky, Colorado bars, breweries start reopening along with restaurants — The Know
Photo of the week
See more great photos like this on The Denver Post’s Instagram account.