My husband and I walked into the Labor & Delivery triage at 12:30 am, hoping to check in on our daughter, only to learn she would no longer have a heartbeat at 39 weeks of gestation. Our world, as we knew it, fell completely silent in the worst way possible. In the midst of our deepest grief, we encountered many nurses, but only one truly left an impact on our lives: Dani Hughes. Dani, our day nurse, arrived at 7:30 am that day, immediately filled with sorrow. She asked what she could do for me to help me but I didn't have an answer, she looked to my husband asking him if I had a favorite food, drink, or anything she could get me. He replied, "She loves blue raspberry slushes with Nerds from Sonic." As soon as Sonic opened, Dani had an order placed for DoorDash, and she brought me one large Blue raspberry slush with Nerds. That may seem silly to some, but it marked the beginning of her impact on my heart. From that moment on, she not only cared for me as her patient but also for my husband, helping prepare our daughter for memorial pictures and hand and foot molds, and ensuring we spent as much time with her as possible. It meant everything to us, especially knowing how hard it must be to do that part of the job.

Leaving the hospital the following day, I didn't think I'd ever see Dani again. Nurses move on, they travel, they retire. It's rare for the same ones to be there on your return. Fast forward to July 2025, my husband and I were scheduled for a C-section with our doctor, who told me Dani was still a nurse on labor and delivery, so of course, I requested her to be on my chart as my nurse. In which they made it possible. Dani stood by my side, held my hand, and cried tears of joy with me as I welcomed my second daughter into the world. She then cared for me yet again and was nothing short of amazing. We didn't get to spend as much time with her this time, but the time we did was everything to us. We love her personality, her care, and the joy she brought us, not just this year, but also last year. Joy you'd miss if you didn't have Dani there by your side. Everyone needs a Dani in their life. I'm thankful for mine! I hope she stays long enough to see the birth of each of my future babies. She deserves so much more than just an award, but I know this would mean so much to her to receive.

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Dani was amazing. Dani was my nurse for the middle to the end of my labor for my very first baby. She made the entire experience seamless and helped ease my worries throughout. Not only did Dani care so well for me, but she also made my husband feel seen and cared for. At one point, I was in so much pain that I told her that I could not do it. She reassured me and helped me feel confident in myself; an hour or so later, I delivered my healthy baby boy. I'm not sure I could have done it without her. I will never forget Dani or the way she made me feel, and I hope that if/when we have more kids, she is our nurse again.