Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex honors the people working to feed those in need during the pandemic on CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. Get Involved: https://t.co/MkgzSomt7H pic.twitter.com/jnPzPtmBGx— CNN Heroes (@CNNHeroes) December 14, 2020
Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Meghan Markle honored the "quiet heroes" of the COVID-19 pandemic while making a surprise television appearance.
The 39-year-old duchess of Sussex appeared on the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute special Sunday to celebrate those working to end hunger in their communities amid the health crisis.
"In a year that has been universally challenging for everyone, I'm inspired by the stories of compassion in our communities," Markle said. "Across the country, people have put their own needs aside to come together and support the collective well-being of those around them."
Markle reflected on how the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to change everything overnight and suddenly left many families in need.
"For many families, the impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic, and far too many were faced with the heartbreaking question: How am I going to put food on the table for my family?" Markle said.
"But in the face of this devastating reality, we also saw the power of the human spirit and the remarkable ways that communities respond in challenging times," she added. "We saw the good in people, in our neighbors and in entire communities coming together to say they would not stand by while our neighbors went hungry."
Markle named and celebrated some of the ways people have supported each other during the health crisis.
"When kids' lunch programs came to a halt, we saw our neighbors make sure that those children received the nutrition they need," she said. "And when those who are immunocompromised or most vulnerable couldn't leave their homes, we, as a community, showed up to deliver the food they needed to their doorsteps."
Markle reflected on "the value of food" as nourishment, as "a life source" and a source of comfort in moments of crisis. She applauded the individuals who stood up and made sure the basic needs of their communities were met.
"They made sure that those around them did not have to suffer in isolation. They nourished their neighbors in more ways than one," Markle said. "And they showed us, all of us, that even in the darkest times, when we come together, we have the power to remind someone else that there is hope, and that we will be OK."
The TV special marked Markle's first appearance since going public about her miscarriage. Markle shared her grief and pain in an op-ed for The New York Times in November after experiencing a miscarriage in July while pregnant with her second child with her husband, Prince Harry.
In the essay, Markle described the grief she felt and discussed how many people carry the pain of a miscarriage alone.
"Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few," she said. "Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning."
Markle encouraged people to check in on one another and care for their communities.
"We have learned that when people ask how any of us are doing, and when they really listen to the answer, with an open heart and mind, the load of grief often becomes lighter -- for all of us," she said. "In being invited to share our pain, together we take the first steps toward healing."
Markle and Harry married in May 2018 and have a 19-month-old son, Archie. The couple said in October that they've spent some "special moments" with their son at home during the pandemic.
