My son, who is 18 years old, was admitted to the ICU after spinal surgery. In the late afternoon, while we were in the intensive care room with one of my other sons, who is 22 years old. He started feeling unwell. Sonia remained calm and unshaken. A few seconds later, I felt my son collapse toward me, and he fell to the floor, fainting, all six feet of him.

He was trembling, and I got scared. Sonia was alarmed too, but without losing her composure, she pressed an emergency button. Within seconds, 6 or 7 doctors and nurses surrounded my older son, who shortly after opened his eyes and asked where he was and what had happened. He recovered quickly, and the scene ended up being almost tragicomic—one of my sons, recovering from spinal surgery, lying in bed, and the other, the older and healthier one, on the floor surrounded by doctors.

Sonia continued with her work and her smile. The next day, when my son complained about his pain, she asked him, “What can I do for you? How can I help you feel more comfortable or less unwell?” At no point did she lose patience or her kindness and sweetness. She even remembered to ask me in the hallway, “How is your other son, the one who fainted yesterday?”

In the short time I spent with Sonia, I saw her do her job with professionalism and humanity, treating the patient with care and patience—and even the rest of the family, who were a bit intrusive, too.

Thank you, Sonia. The world needs more nurses and people with your attitude.