Lyndsay Sams
June 2026
Lyndsay
Sams
,
RN
ED
UNC REX Healthcare
Raleigh
,
NC
United States
My monitor went off, and my wonderful nurse, Lyndsay, came into the room, as my wife said, “like a bolt of lightning,” and began CPR.
Lyndsay Sams, Emergency Department Nurse at UNC REX Hospital, saved my life. I passed out in a doctor’s office. EMT help arrived and transported me to the REX Hospital Emergency Department. Evaluations were made throughout the afternoon, and about 8:00 pm, I was told there appeared to be a problem with my heart. The doctor was going to keep me overnight for further tests. I was placed in a room within the ED where we met my nurse, Lyndsay.
About 11:30 pm, while waiting to be transported to a room, I decided to take a nap. That was the last thing I remembered until the next day in the ICU. My wife told me what happened. Upon closing my eyes to sleep, I immediately went into cardiac arrest. My monitor went off, and my wonderful nurse, Lyndsay, came into the room, as my wife said, “like a bolt of lightning,” and began CPR. I survived because of her quick and expert response.
In the aftermath, she was very kind and compassionate to my wife. I found out later that most do not survive what I experienced. The next day, Lyndsay looked up my record and saw I had survived the night and was in the ICU. She came to see me that day and two more times while I was in the hospital. She gave me a beautiful get-well card with a special note she had written. I cannot express enough how much her acts of kindness and thoughtfulness meant to my family and me. She patiently answered our questions and even accepted an invitation to come to my church to hear my testimony. She truly is an exceptional person as well as an exceptional nurse.
We try to stay in touch with this amazing young lady who did her job so well and with excellence and compassion, going above and beyond the call of duty, and the days that followed. I just recently found out about the DAISY Award. Lyndsay will always hold a very special place in my heart and the hearts of my entire family.
About 11:30 pm, while waiting to be transported to a room, I decided to take a nap. That was the last thing I remembered until the next day in the ICU. My wife told me what happened. Upon closing my eyes to sleep, I immediately went into cardiac arrest. My monitor went off, and my wonderful nurse, Lyndsay, came into the room, as my wife said, “like a bolt of lightning,” and began CPR. I survived because of her quick and expert response.
In the aftermath, she was very kind and compassionate to my wife. I found out later that most do not survive what I experienced. The next day, Lyndsay looked up my record and saw I had survived the night and was in the ICU. She came to see me that day and two more times while I was in the hospital. She gave me a beautiful get-well card with a special note she had written. I cannot express enough how much her acts of kindness and thoughtfulness meant to my family and me. She patiently answered our questions and even accepted an invitation to come to my church to hear my testimony. She truly is an exceptional person as well as an exceptional nurse.
We try to stay in touch with this amazing young lady who did her job so well and with excellence and compassion, going above and beyond the call of duty, and the days that followed. I just recently found out about the DAISY Award. Lyndsay will always hold a very special place in my heart and the hearts of my entire family.