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'We're staying in all the time': Rocky River native speaks of life in Italy amid coronavirus lockdown

Dr. John C. Hulsman, a foreign policy expert, says that the sense of community he learned in Northeast Ohio will help get us through these tough times.

MILAN, Italy — Dr. John C. Hulsman has earned many accolades during his 52 years on this earth: Foreign policy expert, author, and even guest on "The Daily Show" during Jon Stewart's time as host.

Now, he is just one of many in Italy on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We're staying in all the time," Hulsman told 3News Tuesday. "Other than this 90-second walk that I take every day, there is no one outside."

Although the coronavirus (COVID-19) originated in China and has spread to dozens of territories (including the United States), Italy may be the hardest hit of all, with more than 2,500 deaths accounting for a mortality rate of roughly 8%. Hulsman lives in Milan and is mostly stuck inside, with only people who need food or medical attention or those who must leave for work allowed to leave for more extended periods.

"It's kind of like being under house arrest," Hulsman said, adding he only goes to visit his girlfriend and her children about two minutes away. "It's an amazing experience...I'm a writer, and a run a company, so I sit at home and I write slightly more than I used to."

While the ordeal hasn't been as hard on him as others, Hulsman sympathizes with those who are struggling, and perhaps his roots play a role in his sense of community: Hulsman is a native of Rocky River, and admits he still checks the Indians' box scores each morning during baseball season ("I've got to begin the day with my heart being broken"). Northeast Ohio is, of course, a tight-knit region, and Hulsman believes that will get us through this crisis.

"I always think of the people of Cleveland," Hulsman admitted. "That community spirit is going to get you through these times. Those community ties are the ties that bind."

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