My father was a patient at Ascension, and Valerie was his nurse on the last two nights of his life. The minute she walked into the room, she treated all of us like we were family and my father like he was hers. She has a high level of empathy, manages a complex situation with complete professionalism, and it is quite evident that she is genuine and truly called to be a nurse.

My dad had a hard life, and he was the rock of our family. The amount of suffrage that he endured was profound, yet he remained our everything, solid as a rock. He loved his children unconditionally, and he was in our corner through thick and thin. Losing him was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. If it wasn't for Valerie, it could have been a much more traumatic experience.

Not only did she speak appropriately to us, but she also genuinely connected and engaged with our family so that she was able to advocate for his needs. That is not an easy task to do, because our family had different coping skills and end-of-life perspectives, and tensions were running high. She handled every situation with absolute class and maintained the integrity of our profession to the highest degree.

Our every need was acknowledged, but most importantly, our father's needs were exceeded. She never made us feel like she was too busy or didn’t have time or that our requests were annoying. She helped direct us when we couldn’t see the light ourselves.

The ultimate empathetic act of kindness Valerie gave to us was after our father passed. She asked us if we would like to help wipe him and give him his final bath. After removing his invasive tubes and lines, she did a preliminary cleaning and covered him appropriately to maintain his dignity, set up a table with cleaning supplies, including a washcloth for each of us, and allowed us our privacy and time to pay our final respects to our wonderful, special father, who was truly loved by everyone who knew him. This is a memory that we will all cherish forever, despite the heartbreak.

She not only cared for my father with the utmost respect and love, but she also cared for each one of us, and we will never forget her. Only a special person would be chosen to care for our father in his final moments. We truly believe that God put her exactly where she was for a reason. She is an honor to the nursing profession.

Thank you, Valerie, with all of our hearts. We are forever grateful. We love you.