© 2026 ABC News

In addition to her work as a veterinarian, Kulick plays music in a queer orchestra in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan called the Queer Urban Orchestra. Her husband, a professional musician who she met in college through playing music together, encouraged her to join the orchestra when she moved to New York City 10 years ago.

“I joined as a straight member and ally and then found that I am queer as well,” she said. “Coming from a Southern Baptist upbringing in Virginia, that was kind of a revelation for me. That's part of why I love New York so much.”

\"Dr.
Erin Kulick
Dr. Erin Kulick says this is the last photo on her phone from before her life changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
>

Being a part of the orchestra, which Kulick describes as like family, has been a welcome release from her high stakes job. The last photo on her phone from before her life changed due to the coronavirus pandemic shows members of the orchestra and other friends at a bar in Manhattan, celebrating after one of their orchestra concerts.

As a trumpet player, Kulick became involved in a tradition of playing “Taps” -- a bugle call played at military funerals -- around the 7 p.m. cheers for essential workers each day. As featured on WNBC, the tradition began when her neighbor and former Marine Josh Landress began playing “Taps” from his balcony in memory of those who have died from COVID and Kulick offered to echo him.

\"PHOTO:
Erin Kulick
PHOTO: As a trumpet player, Dr. Erin Kulick started playing “Taps” following the daily 7 p.m. cheers for essential workers in New York City.
>

“It means a lot to me to do, particularly because we've lost people,” she said.

Although her shifts end at 7 p.m., Kulick said that in order to honor those that have died, including the family members of her coworkers, she has sprinted home with her mask on in order to make it in time to play the solemn tribute.

“I have a close friend whose mom has been on a ventilator for over a month,” she said. “Following cases and seeing all the people I knew that went on ventilators, except for this friend's mom, died. So she's the only one left. She has to make it.”

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/veterinarian-covid-19-survivor-care-pets-staff/story?id=70946235","legacySlug":"/news/story/veterinarian-covid-19-survivor-care-pets-staff-70946235","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"10:06","publishDate":"05-30-2020","updatedTime":"13:21","updatedDate":"05-31-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"As a trumpet player, Dr. Erin Kulick started playing “Taps” following the daily 7 p.m. cheers for essential workers in New York City.","credit":"Erin Kulick","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/ht_kulick1_le_200529_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"5/30/2020 10:06:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":70946235,"headline":"Veterinarian on surviving COVID-19","mediaAssetTitle":"THE ESSENTIALS POD EP 8 Veterinarian","description":"COVID-19 \"does make you question your mortality,” said Dr. Erin Kulick","duration":"2:35","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200326_gma_worley_0743_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132488083","132306053","132266872"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 29, 2026","headline":"Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","section":"News","slug":"/video/132488083","id":"132488083","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Veterinarian on surviving COVID-19","description":"COVID-19 \"does make you question your mortality,” said Dr. Erin Kulick","duration":"2:35","uploadDate":"05-30-2020","publication":"05-30-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200326_gma_worley_0743_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/03/200326_gma_worley_0743_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/veterinarian-covid-19-survivor-care-pets-staff-70946235"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132510121","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132473181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132497933","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Veterinarian on surviving COVID-19","pubTime":"06:06","pubDate":"05-30-2020","modTime":"09:21","modDate":"05-31-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":70946235,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Veterinarian on surviving COVID-19","mediaAssetTitle":"THE ESSENTIALS POD EP 8 Veterinarian","videoId":70946235,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/veterinarian-covid-19-survivor-care-pets-staff-70946235"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/70946235","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/70946235","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};