Saratoga County chamber leader’s new book brings unique pandemic perspective

Todd Shimkus is known for his leadership role at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. However, a new book shows a different side of the leader. It talks about how the COVID pandemic kept Shimkus from his ailing mom, Amy, and the lessons he learned along the way.

The beloved mother and nurse of 48 years suffered from Alzheimer’s and was a resident of the Memory Care Unit at The Wesley. He visited her every day until COVID.

Shimkus was watching then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s restrictions closely. He calls some of them absurd, including the one that kept all people out for 28 days if any staff – no matter if they didn’t have patient contact – tested positive.

It was a total of 363 days that Shimkus couldn’t have contact with his mom because of the ever-changing restrictions.

Shimkus’s mother declined without the daily contact with her oldest child.  He was the one who she had a special bond with, the one who was born with his abdominal organs on the outside and survived. COVID restrictions got in the way of that mother-child bond at a time his mom needed it most.

“I’m Not Ready for This” is not a bitter attack, but rather a personal perspective.

Learn what Shimkus hopes people get out of the book by watching the video of Mark Mulholland’s story.

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