Growing up, I never really knew my mother and father. For me, my grandmother was both growing up. She taught me what it meant to be a good man and without her, I’d be nothing. When she suddenly fell ill, my entire world flipped upside down and I felt a fear I had never experienced. The strongest person I had ever known lay before me in a constant state of confusion. Most of the time my grandma was at the facility, I felt that though she was being taken care of, the staff was just going through the motions. It wasn’t until evening came and the shift changed, that I immediately noticed a difference.

A specific nurse informed me, she would be taking care of my grandmother, and from that point, everything changed. She had such a warm caring presence about her that immediately put me at ease. I could tell from everything she did that she really cared. It wasn’t just about checking off boxes. She was so intentional with the way she treated my grandmother. I’m not an emotional man usually but it almost brought tears to my eyes to see my grandmother for the first time really being engaged with and not just being treated like another patient.

Our nurse handled my grandma like it was her own family. She truly went above and beyond to make my grandmother comfortable during this difficult time. I know she must’ve been very busy, but she took the time to explain things to me and my grandmother in a way that I could understand. I truly can’t say enough good things about her. I really hope this message reaches the people in charge of decisions because nurses like her that do the right things even when no one is watching, deserve to be recognized for the exceptional work they do!