SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The son of a school bus manufacturer employee here is using his medical training to help treat COVID-19 patients in New York City, one of the U.S.’s hot spots in the pandemic.

Alex Charlton, 29, a graduate assistant with a nursing degree who has also been pursuing a football coaching career, put those aspirations on hold to respond to the state’s urgent call for qualified nurses, CBS Sports reports. He started at Mount Sinai hospital in New York on Monday, according to the news source.

Alex Charlton is the son of Chris Charlton, the brand manager for Collins Bus Corp. Although he hasn’t followed in his father’s footsteps in a career connected to the yellow bus, Chris told School Bus Fleet that his son did ride them over the course of his academic career to athletic events, and became friends with one of the drivers.

Chris added that he was, at first, hesitant about his son taking on such a serious endeavor. However, with Alex’s college football coaching on somewhat of a hiatus until at least June 1, he had some spare time.  

“It’s almost like a special ops tour of duty for him,” Chris said.

Chris added that he gave Alex some plastic face shields that he got from a Kansas City printing company that began making them to avoid having to lay off employees.  

“I reminded him to be disciplined in his approach, and he usually is,” Chris said.