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Meghan Markle Honours 'Quiet Heroes' In Surprise TV Appearance

It's the Duchess of Sussex's first public appearance following her essay saying she experienced a miscarriage.

Meghan Markle made a surprise appearance to honor “quiet heroes” among us at CNN’s annual “Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” program on Sunday.

It marks the first public appearance from the Duchess of Sussex following her emotional revelation in a New York Times essay that she experienced a miscarriage in July.

During the TV spot, the duchess spoke about those who have stepped up amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“In a year that has been universally challenging for everyone, I’m inspired by the stories of compassion in our communities,” Meghan said. “Across the country, people have put their own needs aside to come together and support the collective well-being of those around them.”

“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?” Meghan Markle said in her surprise TV appearance.
CNN
“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?” Meghan Markle said in her surprise TV appearance.

“Back in March, the COVID-19 crisis hit hard, and overnight everything seemed to change,” she said. “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?”

She added, “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. We saw the good in people, in our neighbours and in entire communities coming together to say they would not stand by while our neighbours went hungry.”

The duchess spoke of people in communities who ensured that kids remained fed after school lunch programs paused, and others who offered food aid to neighbors who were most vulnerable to the virus.

“These moments reminded so many that they’re cared for,” she said. “Tonight, we are celebrating these quiet heroes, some of whom I know and others that we applaud from afar. These individuals stood up and made sure the most basic needs of our communities were met.”

“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,” Meghan said.

Meghan’s “we will be OK” ending calls back to her famous ITV interview from last October, in which she told journalist Tom Bradby, “Not many people have asked if I’m OK, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

The “Suits” alum echoed similar sentiments in her recent piece for the NYT, in which she detailed her miscarriage and also spoke of the importance of asking others ― during this especially difficult holiday season ― “Are you OK?”

The Duchess of Sussex wrote in the Times that she experienced a miscarriage in July.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
The Duchess of Sussex wrote in the Times that she experienced a miscarriage in July.

Throughout the pandemic, Meghan and Prince Harry have continuously worked to ensure that others are OK while volunteering in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, in addition to working with their patronages back in the UK.

Since March, the Sussexes have worked with programs like Baby2Baby and Homeboy Industries. The couple also delivered food on behalf of Project Angel Food, a nonprofit charity based in Los Angeles that prepares and brings food to people with AIDS and other critical illnesses.

Project Angel Food’s executive director, Richard Ayoub, told HuffPost back in April that the couple are “genuinely compassionate, interested individuals who came to visit the kitchens.”

He added that they were “extremely engaged with every single person they met.”

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