My father was diagnosed with a central brain tumor and stayed in the ICU after resection, and recovery was slow and rocky. The first morning after surgery, I came in and found Charla sitting at the bedside holding my dad's hand while he slept.

I asked how he did overnight, and she said, "he slept well, as long as I held his hand!" So, she just sat at the bedside most of the night holding his hand so he could sleep. At that time, he was A&Ox1–2, so only partially aware of his surroundings, and couldn’t remember anyone’s name except his own, his family’s, and Charla’s. Her above-and-beyond compassion and kindness kept him grounded and were one of the few things that cut through all his confusion and kept him oriented.

Her care not only sped up his recovery but made the rest of the family feel completely at ease that he was in such good hands, literally.