He then asked that the mask be forwarded to a New York medical professional in need and thought nothing more of the request because he knew Cuomo was "busy beyond belief," The Washington Post reported.
Not only did Cuomo read the letter aloud during an April news conference, he called Ruhnke an example of “humanity at its best.”
I received this letter from a farmer in northeast Kansas. His wife is ill and he is aging.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 24, 2020
He sent me 1 of 5 N95 masks he has from farming to pass on to a doctor or nurse in New York.
This is humanity at its best. I share his letter as inspiration. pic.twitter.com/Fa4h5LH9rL
On Tuesday, Ruhnke, 73, was awarded an honorary bachelor's degree by Kansas State University, nearly 50 years after the 1971 death of his father forced him to leave school two credits shy of graduation, the Manhattan Mercury reported.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly bestowed the degree upon Ruhnke in a special ceremony and took to social media to sing his praises a little more, writing, “Dennis’ kindness and lifelong career in agriculture make him more than qualified to receive a degree.”
This afternoon I had the pleasure of joining Kansas State University President Richard Myers to confer a bachelor's...
Posted by Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday, May 5, 2020
About the Author