Heroes Of The COVID Crisis: How Dr Leslie Ray Matthews Stepped Up To Make A Difference During The Covid-19 Pandemic
Speaking up for the less fortunate- Regardless of any backlash, it is important to say the things that can help save peoples live or even just help make it better. Most physicians were not excellent advocates for their patients during the first three years of the coronavirus pandemic.
As part of my series about people who stepped up to make a difference during the COVID19 Pandemic, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews.
Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews is a celebrated Trauma Surgeon and is known as one of the top vitamin D experts in the world. Dr. Matthews focused his career on the study of Vitamin D deficiency in surgical intensive care patients, where he has been investigating the positive effect of vitamin D therapy in critically ill patients. He is also the first person to receive a patent for the treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injuries involving the usage of Vitamin D3 and received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his work and service surrounding Vitamin D3.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how and where you grew up?
My name is Leslie Ray Matthews, M.D. FACS, FCCM. I am originally from Indianola, Mississippi. I am the youngest of 11 children. My father, Rev. John Matthews was a Baptist minister and an elementary school principal. He and four others formed a gospel group with the world famous B.B. King called the St. John Gospel Singers and performed in Mississippi from 1942–1946. My mother, Missouri Matthews was a homemaker and had the first set of conjoined/Siamese twins to be successfully separated in 1955.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I live by The Bible. It’s probably my favorite book. It speaks about being truthful, honest, living a good life, and having a good work ethic.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
My favorite life quote is “failure is not an option.” I have lived by this quote my entire life. My parents drilled that in my head when I was very young. I trained surgical residents, medical students, fellows, and nurses using that quote often. It is a very good quote to help you overcome challenges in life.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. You are currently leading a social impact organization that has stepped up during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to address?
I hired the EPI Media Group, a top PR agency in Atlanta, to help me in a global campaign to educate the world on the importance of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is a hormone very important for the immune system to work properly. Half of the world’s population is vitamin D3 deficient. Vitamin D3 is very important in preventing and treating coronavirus.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a hero?
I have never viewed myself as a hero. I just do what I am put here to do or predestined to do. Living your life in your purpose regardless of society’s rules, is one of the bravest things you can do.
In your opinion or experience, what are “5 characteristics of a hero? Please share a story or example for each.
The five (5) characteristics of a hero are:
1). Discipline- Being dedicate on your work and service. Committing to it even when you don’t feel like it.
2). Speaking up for the less fortunate- Regardless of any backlash, it is important to say the things that can help save peoples live or even just help make it better. Most physicians were not excellent advocates for their patients during the first three years of the coronavirus pandemic.
3). Constant learning- You must put in an effort for constant growth. I try to learn something new every day.
4). Listen more often- Nobody has all the answers, so you must be receptive to the world. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t.
5). Good character- Lifetime honesty and integrity is key to a great reputation.
If heroism is rooted in doing something difficult, scary, or even self-sacrificing, what do you think drives some people — ordinary people — to become heroes?
What drives most people is a higher power (God) who placed a conscience in all of us about what is right and wrong. It compels us to act at the appropriate time and place. It is the everyday person’s mission to help make the world a little easier to live in.
What was the specific catalyst for you or your organization to take heroic action? At what point did you personally decide that heroic action needed to be taken?
I knew from the age of four years old that I was put here to do great things. I was supported by my family and my faith to help impact the world. I was raised to work hard and be intentional with the choices I made in life.
Who are your heroes, or who do you see as heroes today?
Jesus Christ, my dad, and my mother are my heroes.
Let’s talk a bit about what is happening in the world today. What specifically frightened or frightens you most about the pandemic?
As a retired trauma surgeon, very few things frighten me. We are trained to be calm in most situations. However, one thing that concerns me the most was the amount of pertinent information that has not been promoted to the public. The media and governments around the world have not been upfront with the concerns of many physicians on pandemic related topics. Time has proven that many of those physicians that they tried to silence, were correct.
Despite that, what gives you hope for the future? Can you explain?
As long as we are alive, there is always hope. I hope that the world learns from their many mistakes during the coronavirus pandemic and allow free discourse/debates next time.
What has inspired you the most about the behavior of people during the pandemic, and what behaviors do you find most disappointing?
The few people who were correct from the beginning did not cave into pressure from their families, friends, the media, nor the government. The majority is not always correct. Keeping yourself safe takes precedence over what people want you to do. The thing that I found most disappointing is the increase in homicides and mass shootings during the pandemic.
Has this crisis caused you to reassess your view of the world or of society? We would love to hear what you mean.
In my field of work I’ve witnessed some of the worst things in the world. Therefore, the crisis has not reassessed my views of the world. Healthcare workers are constantly dealing with crisis situations. The world just got a chance to witness what we have been dealing with. I work towards having a positive attitude on life in general, regardless of how hard it might get.
What permanent societal changes would you like to see come out of this crisis?
We lost 1.15 million U.S. citizens based on censorship. I would like to see the media pursue the truth that is told by trusted physicians. People want to trust those that we put in positions of power and that can’t happen if we aren’t honest.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
I would tell them that our society is only as good or bad as we make it. The choice is up to us.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
The golden rule is to treat people how you would like to be treated. Some people get so caught up in themselves, they forget how to treat others.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
George Lucas of Star Wars fame, or Robert Smith, a billionaire who paid the tuition for a single class of Morehouse College graduates. You can always learn from very successful people. My dad always said hang out with people smarter than you.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I can be reached through my PR agency: sarah@epimediagroup.com or PRteam@epimediagroup.com. My Facebook page is Leslie Ray Matthews and my Instagram is @Dr.lesliermatthews
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Heroes Of The COVID Crisis: How Dr Leslie Ray Matthews Stepped Up To Make A Difference During The… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.