Messam, who is mayor of the city of Miramar in South Florida, said once back home he directed city managers to plan for a devastating pandemic.
He credits that prompt action for COVID-19 not ravaging Miramar, Broward County's fourth-largest city with a population of 144,000.
When Messam spoke to the Observer two weeks ago, almost 400 people in Miramar had tested positive for COVID-19, making it the third-highest rate for Broward County.
While no COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in Miramar, the city has not escaped the economic downturn sweeping the US.
A star football player at Florida State University, Messam began his public career in 2011 as a Miramar City commissioner.
