Jessie has been nominated multiple times over the last year and a half by several different NICU families. Excerpts from these nominations are below, followed by her most recent and full nomination.

• “Jessie believes in her job and herself to be the best nurse she can be.”
• “Jessie showed our little guy love and comfort every day. She made sure he was safe and healthy.”
• “Jessie is always there for me and my husband! She always listened to us when we needed to talk.”
• “Jessie never gave up on our girl. She advocated for her when we, as parents, couldn't or didn't know how. She loved our girl like her own.”
• “My wife was in the ICU at another facility while our son was transferred here. When I was alone, worrying if my wife or son would make it, Jessie went above and beyond the scope of duties for a typical nurse. She gave thorough and detailed explanations and allowed me to have someone to talk through. She assisted in getting my wife transferred here and had a direct positive impact on both of us mentally.”
• “Jessie has cared for two of my NICU babies. She is so loving and caring for any baby, but she also makes sure the parents are taken care of.”
• “Jessie made me and my fiancé feel supported, empowered, and seen. She reminded us constantly that we are already doing a great job and helped us believe we were going to be amazing parents.”
• “Jessie loves our NICU twins like her own. She showed genuine care and is always so happy to see how much our littles have grown and how many milestones they are meeting. She pours her heart into every baby in the NICU.”

Most recent full nomination:

“It’s hard to put into words the amount of comfort Jessie provided to both me and, especially, my wife. She only had her as her nurse for a couple of days (I believe), yet it felt as though she had been with us for the entire stay. Jessie showed incredible compassion and care, not just for my wife and me, but for our baby as well. Her presence truly touched our hearts.

Going into this experience was intimidating, and we were far from prepared. But she was there for us. She patiently answered our questions, no matter how small or silly they may have seemed to us, with kindness and respect. She never made us feel embarrassed or dismissed.

I know this may sound like a list of scattered thoughts, but if that’s what it takes to express how deeply we appreciate Jessie, then so be it. Her consistent warmth and energy, day in and day out, meant the world to us, especially during a time when we were exhausted and overwhelmed.

There’s one moment in particular that we’ll never forget. As Jessie held my wife and said her goodbyes at discharge, she gently told our baby girl, ‘You’re gonna change the world.’ My wife broke down in tears, happy, emotional, overwhelmed tears. Jessie gave us one last hug and headed out as we thanked her for what felt like the millionth time.

To be able to move someone I love so deeply in the way Jessie did, which goes far beyond what any award can capture. She didn’t just care for us and our baby; she changed our world.

So, from the bottom of our hearts: thank you, Jessie. You’re making more of a difference than you’ll ever realize.”