Michelle is one of the most capable nurses that I have ever worked with or known. She is intelligent, patient, passionate, tenacious, and above all, kind. Michelle is a wonderful human being who gives the grace of acceptance and understanding to everyone that this nurse interacts with. She fully sees the patient accepts them as they are, then proceeds to help them.

Michelle offers help and stays with the Veterans through the breadth of their care, communicating consistency and trust by being ever present, and returning each call. She initiates calls for no reason but to check in. Helping them with the baby steps required to be their best selves. She is undeterred in the pursuit of help and does not yield to “no”. Michelle always finds a way.

She is a bottomless well of patience and love, and has an unwitting ability to bring out the best in everyone who encounters her. She puts in long hours of work; staying late is the norm, so the other nurses can leave on time. I believe that Michelle operates in a completely different realm. The work that she does is why she was placed on this planet.

Everything that Michelle does is an affirmation of that fact. When she is on leave, she goes on mission trips around the world. She lives and breathes selflessness and care. I have learned so much from Michelle, and I am so thankful that in this great big universe, our paths somehow crossed. This is an epitome of the ideals of the DAISY Award.