My sister was 6 months pregnant and was told by her doctor to come into the hospital as she did not feel her baby move for an hour. They unfortunately lost their precious baby boy, and she had to go through the unbearable process of delivering him. The pain you feel for your sister, best friend, and first-time mom-to-be is something I have never felt before. There are truly no words to describe what you are going through as a family.

Kristin being by our side is exactly what we needed. Her presence was calm, extremely compassionate, and it felt as if she was really there, going through it all with us. This is by far the hardest thing my family has ever gone through. She brought my mom and me warm blankets while we were in the room. The room, even with the temp up as high as it could go, was freezing. She was there checking on us at all the right times. She asked if she could give us hugs, and man, I didn’t know I needed those hugs until those moments. Every step of the way, she kept asking if there was anything she could do for us. She not only went above and beyond for my sister and her husband, but also for myself and my parents. My mom and I asked her questions privately, and she would talk through the answers. What she is dealing with is not an easy task as I know they are the ones caring for the babies afterwards.

We are so eternally grateful for her and will never forget her and how she was there helping us throughout this heartbreaking time in our lives. I have been in the hospital a fair amount throughout my life, including at the Mayo Clinic, for health reasons, and I have interacted with many different nurses and doctors. Kristin is a special person, and I hope this recognition reminds her of this. What she is doing and the lives she is touching are no easy task. She is one incredible person and a nurse. Thank you, Kristin, for everything. We would not have gotten through all of this without you.