On the occasion of the traditional presidential greetings, Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the commitment of French people, who have acted in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This year 2020 is not just about the epidemic, even if it has changed our lives.
In my eyes, it also revealed exemplary routes which are so many compasses for times to come, ”thus greeted the Head of State.
But who are these French people in the spotlight?
Overview.
Marie-Corentine Janvier, nurse
The first course put forward by the President of the Republic is that of Marie-Corentine Janvier, 24 years old.
"Last spring, this freshly graduated nurse from Limoges did not hesitate to leave everything to lend a hand to the teams at the Créteil hospital, overwhelmed by the influx of patients with the virus", detailed Emmanuel Macron.
On December 21, the young woman told France Bleu Limoges this courageous choice to leave her city, still very little affected by the Covid, to join the Parisian intensive care unit.
“When we arrived, they had just opened a building that could accommodate 80 new patients, and within three or four days all 80 beds were filled,” she explained.
"We take a slap in the face."
Informed by messages that her name had been mentioned by the president, the young nurse, who did not watch the wishes live, expressed her astonishment to France Bleu Limoge.
“I didn't really understand, I don't really realize.
But at least I hope I represented the people who went to help, ”she reacted.
The caregiver also took advantage of this sudden notoriety to express a last wish.
"I hope we will have great recognition in 2021, a little more".
Jean-Luc Stamos, garbage collector driver
The Head of State also put in the spotlight, Jean-Luc Stamos, garbage collector driver in Guyana.
“With his colleagues Anthony and Maxime, they have never stopped working since the start of the pandemic.
At the height of the confinement, they constituted this
second line
which allowed the country to continue to live, and life to continue, ”said Emmanuel Macron.
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Described as "everyday heroes" by La Première, Jean-Luc and his colleagues had told in a report on the channel their working conditions, while the French were confined for the first time.
"Of course, what we are currently experiencing is particularly serious," said Jean-Luc.
And to add: “There is a question of hygiene and insalubrity.
We cannot allow garbage to pile up on the public road, especially since most residents are at home all day ”.
Gérald Heuliez, owner of a mask factory
Gérald Heuliez, Managing Director of Kolmi-Hopen, on the right in the photo.
LP / Fred Dugit
The third Frenchman cited by the Head of State, Gérald Heuliez, is the boss of the largest French mask factory, Kolmi-Hopen, located near Angers.
"To meet the demand for masks, he, along with his employees, has succeeded in opening his factories seven days a week, 24 hours a day and, more recently, installing another in record time" , summed up Emmanuel Macron.
To produce enough protection, Gérald Heuliez has indeed achieved the feat of setting up a new factory 10 km from the first in less than three months, bought 11 new machines, installed offices, and increased the daily production of masks from 350,000 to 3 million working seven days a week from 7 am to 11 pm.
The Head of State had visited the SME plant, located near Angers (Maine-et-Loire), on March 31, 2020 to "show the exceptional mobilization of our industry to face the needs related to the crisis of Covid-19 ”.
From now on, Gérald Heuliez has entrusted to the Parisian floor “on big projects to develop new products”, still in the medical field.
Lucas Leduc, donor of a tablet to an Ehpad
Emmanuel Macron also highlighted the great initiative of an 11-year-old child, Lucas Leduc.
“When he discovered the isolation situation of elderly people with Covid-19 in his city hospital, he did not hesitate for a second and donated his tablet to allow them to communicate with their loved ones and smile again.
He was followed by many others, ”said the Head of State.
The youngest of a family of three children, the teenager, who lives in Béthune, in Pas-de-Calais, had explained his gesture to the
Voices of the North.
Last March, when France was confined for the first time, Lucas had learned that an Ehpad, located in Beuvry, was looking for tablets so that residents could keep a link with their loved one.
The little boy then made the decision to offer his new tablet to the establishment.
“I got it as a Christmas present.
I hadn't ordered it.
Since I have a computer and a phone, it stayed packed.
There's no point in me taking it back.
It could be of use to them if they have other illnesses, ”he explained on a daily basis.
His gesture had prompted many people to imitate him.
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Rosalie Abirached, bookseller
Another Frenchwoman cited as an example by the president, Rosalie Abirached, co-manager of the bookstore "De beaux tomorrows", in Bagnolet, in Seine-Saint-Denis.
“Like all her colleagues, she suffered greatly from the closure of businesses, despite the aid.
She was able to innovate, set up a website to allow take-out sales during the toughest weeks.
And the customers, at Christmas, responded present, ”detailed the Head of State.
If Emmanuel Macron welcomed this “click and collect” initiative on Thursday, this system has nevertheless almost cost Rosalie Abirached's bookstore.
In November, we told how the store had been fined 135 euros for an order collection table that would be "non-compliant".
Faced with this decision, the two managers had decided to express their incomprehension on the bookstore's Facebook account, which had earned them a wave of support.
The police finally lifted the fine shortly after.
Romain Hossepied, gendarme
The President of the Republic also wished to thank, during his wishes, Romain Hossepied, gendarme in Tende, in the Alpes-Maritimes.
“On the night of October 2-3, floods threaten to sweep away a retirement home.
Risking his life, he manages to evacuate more than 70 residents, saving their lives, ”said Emmanuel Macron.
At the time, France 3 recounted this heroic rescue, led by the young gendarme who then had only three years of experience.
With the help of the firefighters, Romain had evacuated these residents of an Ehpad to the Tende CHU, taking command of his brigade to replace his leader who left in intervention.
The same night, he also saved two families, threatened by the rising waters.
Mehdi Chouabi, teacher
Emmanuel Macron continued by welcoming the work of Mehdi, professor of economic and social sciences in the northern districts of Marseille.
“Like thousands of teachers, a few days after Samuel Paty's assassination, he had to organize a course on secularism.
To do this, he took the time to train with other teachers and academy inspectors.
With courage, he then returned to his students on our values, their history.
Assuming this high mission of our school, of our teachers: to make republicans, ”explained Emmanuel Macron.
But today, the professor told France inter to be rather "embarrassed" by this tribute.
“In this kind of testimony, we really insist on individuality.
But today, especially among teachers, it is a spirit that is very collective, ”he explained.
Mehdi Chouabi also wanted to remind the radio of the challenges of his fight against obscurantism.
“The heart of the matter is: how to fight against obscurantism.
How can we ensure that this transmission, in front of the students, is done in the best possible conditions, ”he assured.
Before sending a final message to the president: "What is important is to insist on the fact that there are not enough resources injected into National Education and that we should really come back to it. .
"
Wendie Renard, footballer
The Olympique Lyonnais players won their seventh Champions League on August 30, led by their captain Wendie Renard.
AFP / Alvaro Barrientos
Continuing his enumeration of the French who shone during the health crisis, Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the footballer Wendie Renard.
“Like all amateur and professional athletes, she has had a difficult season with impossible training, staggered competitions, matches without an audience.
However, she drew from her the strength of soul to go and win with her club a 7th Champions League, a record, and to make us dream in this gray period ”.
Never satisfied with titles, the emblematic captain of Olympique Lyonnais had indeed won with his team the victory by beating German club Wolfsburg by 2 goals, in the final of the competition, on August 30.
Mauricette, first vaccinated
On December 27, Mauricette became the first person to receive a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against Covid-19 in France.
AFP / Thomas Samson
Finally, the president wanted to greet the first person vaccinated in France, Mauricette, 78 years old.
“She resides in a retirement home in Sevran and, a few days ago, you all saw her, like me, she was the first French to be vaccinated against Covid-19, sending, against obscurantism and conspiracy, a magnificent message of hope for the coming year ”, noted the Head of State.
The Parisian had told of the vaccination of the septuagenarian on this occasion.
VIDEO. Covid-19: the first dose of the vaccine administered in a hospital in Seine-Saint-Denis
“All these first names, these faces are those of your sister, your neighbor, your friends, these thousands of anonymous who, committed and united, have held our country to the test.
All these first names, these faces are those of hope.
Those of France ”, finally concluded the president in a last tribute.
