Rhode Island Hospital Housekeeper Sings to Staff and Patients

A Rhode Island hospital housekeeper has been spreading joy through his singing to patients and staff, WJAR-TV reports.

Paul Flamand, has worked in environmental services (EVS) at South County Hospital in Wakefield, Rhode Island, for the past two years. Flamand began singing to the staff and patients at the hospital during the pandemic to help keep up their spirits during the challenging year-and-a-half, according to Aaron Robinson, the president and CEO of South County Hospital.

“In the midst of the pandemic, I heard him in the emergency room, and everyone loved it,” Robinson said. “Holy cow it was amazing, I call him Pavarotti.”

Flamand told WJAR-TV that he has been singing since high school. “I sing from the heart. I enjoy singing and a lot of the time I vocalize on my way into work.”

Flamand added that he started a group several years ago with some family members—The Oakland Beach Boys. “We’ve been singing together for years; family reunions we would do the national anthem,” Flamand said. “We would sing Christmas carols to the elderly.”

Since the pandemic the group was not able to get together until this Fourth of July holiday weekend, when they sang together inside the hospital. Hospital staff took a video of the group singing “God Bless America” and it was posted to the hospital’s social media accounts where it received a lot of positive feedback.

“They seemed to really enjoy it,” Flamand said. “We felt good about doing it and it always feels good when you bring joy to someone’s heart.”

Earlier this year, Flamand sang at a small graduation ceremony the hospital put together for two nursing students since their actual graduation ceremony was canceled.