From the moment my husband had entered the unit after having a massive heart attack, I was all alone, scared, and losing the love of my life of 16 years. I saw all of these wires and things, and I had no clue what to say or do or even what questions to ask. He was going to die, and I didn’t know what to do.

Daniela was not only by my side, holding my hand; she also explained what was going on and the severity of the situation, but she did so with love in her eyes, knowledge in her words, and loving care as she worked on my husband. She didn’t just do her job; she loved her job and did it with her soul seeping out of every word she spoke and how she spoke to my sweet husband and me.

My husband wasn’t her patient. My husband was her family. From cleaning him up when needed, taking his vitals when called to do so, explaining the incessant questions he and I had with patience and kindness, with a smile and love in her voice. She never pretended to “be the doctor.” She would listen and get our questions answered quickly and with purpose, and explain them with words that we could understand and relate to. When I presented her with research about other options for my husband, she welcomed my questions with knowledge and helped me to advocate for my husband, and she presented me with other options like the Impella, which wasn’t offered at Advent but was offered at TGH, and that is why we pushed the doctors to transfer my husband to Tampa General Hospital's Cardiac ICU.

I would never have known this information without her telling me about these options. She gave me the options to do the research. She went from grabbing notes I had written, which were generated from information given by her previously, and helped me get the questions to the doctors. She fought alongside me for the right kind of care for what my sweet husband needed and helped to coordinate his transfer, and helped me to become an advocate for him.

Before I left, we exchanged numbers because she said she wanted me to keep her updated on his progress, it is now  25 days later, and Daniela has texted, prayed over my husband and me, answered many medical questions I have asked,  and has been on this long, scary journey with my husband and me. He was on the aortic balloon twice, the Impella device, on the heart transplant list, which is pending status, and right now, on our way to possibly being discharged within a few days with a life vest.

My husband is alive because she helped, showed me, and taught me how to stand up and advocate for him. She took the time to explain things to me in terms I could understand. She took the time to stay in touch and go above and beyond because being a nurse is who she has become as a person, it is who her soul has become. My husband's life was saved because she cared.

God knew I needed someone that night in the ICU, and he gave me Daniela Gibboney. She is forever my angel on earth!