BROOMALL, PA – Greek-American Paul Michos of Broomall, PA owns a construction business and is now demonstrating the Greek virtue of philotimo as he helps others during this difficult time, Cosmos Philly reported.

“When my construction business came to a halt, I wanted to find a way to stay productive and help,” Michos told Cosmos Philly, adding that he found the website for “The Montana Mask… a highly effective filtration mask.”

With design free for public use, the 3D printable mask can be sanitized and reused, Cosmos Philly reported, adding that “although not approved by the FDA or NIOSH, the mask has been rigorously tested.”

“The doctors I had spoken with said, because of the circumstance, it would be good enough to work with,” Michos told Cosmos Philly.

“The website also listed a link to another company working with Montana Masks that was producing and supplying filters for the masks,” and “Michos downloaded the information, did some additional research on FDA approved masks, filters, and how to construct them,” Cosmos Philly reported.

Michos said, “I tackled this project like any construction project I have been involved with,” Cosmos Philly reported, adding that Michos “started testing his 3D masks first” and the “process was slow and required software tweaks, which he was able to obtain from others via the internet.”

“Each mask took four hours to make and assemble with filters and totaled $1.60 each,” Cosmos Philly reported, noting that “it may not sound like much, but Michos wanted to make sure he could supply several months’ worth of filters per mask, and that would cost him more than $1,000” and “that’s where he came up with an online fundraising campaign to help with the purchase of the materials.”

The fundraising campaign goal on Facebook was $1,000, but just 24 hours later, $3,735 was raised. Michos could produce even more masks than originally intended and “quickly went to work in his home office, printing and assembling each mask with gaskets and filters,” Cosmos Philly reported.

To help produce the masks, Michos enlisted the help of his friend Nick Sagos, owner of Pizza Heaven in Upper Darby, “who also owned a 3D printer and wanted to get involved, Cosmos Philly reported, adding that “a few weeks later, more than 130 masks, with two months supply of filters for each, were assembled, packaged, and ready to go.”

As Michos continued posting on social media about making masks, he inspired others to help out, too. Michos told Cosmos Philly, “I started to post and share information with people online. People started to contact me and ask for advice on how to do it. A guy from Atlantic City, New Jersey, reached out to me on how to set it up after seeing my posts on Facebook. He later contacted me and said that he bought a 3D printer and started making them as well.”

Michos was soon distributing the masks, he told Cosmos Philly, “I divided the first one hundred between the University of Pennsylvania and Temple Hospitals. The next thirty I sent out to some nurses that contacted me online requesting the masks and the rest went to people I knew in the medical field.”

“Michos’ Greek virtue of philotimo continued,” Cosmos Philly noted, adding that, “after all Michos had done to help out the doctors and nurses at his area hospitals, he found himself with about $700 left from the online fundraiser.”

“Michos went to a local pizzeria owned by a cousin and asked to purchase as many pizzas as he could with the $700, to feed the healthcare workers at the hospitals,” Cosmos Philly reported, adding that “his cousin, at first, refused to accept the money, stating that he, too, wanted to help,” but “Michos explained to his cousin that by purchasing those pizzas from his store, it would help keep the store open and the workers employed.”

The following day, Michos and a group of his friends delivered masks and pizzas to the medical staff outside the hospitals, Cosmos Philly reported.

Michos told Cosmos Philly, “Even though I couldn’t see the smile on their faces, I saw it in their eyes, and that made it all worth it.”