Alexandra Gordon, MSN, RN, CEN

In July, I lost my father in a tragic motorcycle accident. It was my first semester in nursing school, and I was hit hard by his sudden passing. I reached out to Ali, and since the day she found out my dad had passed, she has consistently reached out to me to make sure I feel supported, encouraged, and loved as not only a nursing student but a person. I expressed to Ali that I felt like I couldn’t continue in the nursing program because my grief was too much, and instead of allowing me to "quit,” she encouraged me to take a leave of absence and give myself time to heal and come back when I’m ready. She continued to tell me, “You will still be a nurse, and you will be an excellent nurse and come out stronger because of this experience." Her words of encouragement have given me hope that I can keep going, that I will be a nurse, and that it’s okay to take time for myself.