Alicia M Erwin
May 2026
Alicia M
Erwin
,
BSN
Murray-Calloway County Hospital
Murray
,
KY
United States
There are nurses who provide excellent care, and then there are nurses like Alicia — the kind who leave a permanent mark on the hearts of the patients and families they serve.
I am honored to recognize Alicia Erwin for the extraordinary compassion, kindness, and care she showed my grandfather during his stay in the inpatient rehabilitation facility.
When my grandfather was recovering from a traumatic brain injury, our family was walking through one of the most frightening and uncertain times of our lives. There were so many moments filled with fear, heartbreak, and worry about what his recovery would look like. In the middle of all of that, Alicia became such a light for all of us.
From the very beginning, Alicia cared for my grandfather in a way that went far beyond his medical needs. She treated him with dignity, warmth, humor, and genuine love. She had an incredible ability to see him not just as a patient, but as a person — and that meant everything to our family. During a time when he was vulnerable and facing so much physically and emotionally, Alicia made him feel seen, respected, and truly cared for.
One of the most special things about Alicia was the way she could completely change my grandfather’s mood the moment she walked into the room. Rehab after a TBI is exhausting, frustrating, and emotional, and there were days when he was discouraged or simply not himself. But whenever Alicia came back to work, you could instantly see the difference in him. His face would light up, his spirits would lift, and he would become more like himself again. She would joke with him, kid around with him, and bring laughter into moments that otherwise felt so heavy. She spoke so highly of him and always made him feel important, valued, and respected. In a season where so much had been taken from him, she gave him back pieces of himself.
What made Alicia even more extraordinary was the way she cared not only for my grandfather, but for all of us. She supported our family through some of the scariest moments of his traumatic brain injury recovery. She brought calm into chaos, reassurance into fear, and comfort into heartbreak. She answered questions, eased anxieties, and gave us the kind of emotional support that cannot be taught — only carried by someone with a truly special heart. In moments when we felt overwhelmed and uncertain, Alicia was a steady presence we could trust.
By the end of his stay, Alicia no longer felt like “just his nurse.” She felt like part of our family. That is the kind of impact she made. She created a bond with my grandfather and with all of us that we will never forget. She brought humanity, hope, and healing into a time that could have easily felt only clinical and painful.
There are nurses who provide excellent care, and then there are nurses like Alicia — the kind who leave a permanent mark on the hearts of the patients and families they serve. Her compassion, emotional presence, humor, professionalism, and ability to make people feel safe and cared for are truly rare. She did not just help my grandfather heal physically; she helped carry him, and all of us, through one of the hardest times in our lives.
For all of these reasons, I can say with complete sincerity that Alicia Erwin is profoundly deserving of the DAISY Award. Our family will never forget the love and care she gave my grandfather, and we will always be grateful for the difference she made in all of our lives.
When my grandfather was recovering from a traumatic brain injury, our family was walking through one of the most frightening and uncertain times of our lives. There were so many moments filled with fear, heartbreak, and worry about what his recovery would look like. In the middle of all of that, Alicia became such a light for all of us.
From the very beginning, Alicia cared for my grandfather in a way that went far beyond his medical needs. She treated him with dignity, warmth, humor, and genuine love. She had an incredible ability to see him not just as a patient, but as a person — and that meant everything to our family. During a time when he was vulnerable and facing so much physically and emotionally, Alicia made him feel seen, respected, and truly cared for.
One of the most special things about Alicia was the way she could completely change my grandfather’s mood the moment she walked into the room. Rehab after a TBI is exhausting, frustrating, and emotional, and there were days when he was discouraged or simply not himself. But whenever Alicia came back to work, you could instantly see the difference in him. His face would light up, his spirits would lift, and he would become more like himself again. She would joke with him, kid around with him, and bring laughter into moments that otherwise felt so heavy. She spoke so highly of him and always made him feel important, valued, and respected. In a season where so much had been taken from him, she gave him back pieces of himself.
What made Alicia even more extraordinary was the way she cared not only for my grandfather, but for all of us. She supported our family through some of the scariest moments of his traumatic brain injury recovery. She brought calm into chaos, reassurance into fear, and comfort into heartbreak. She answered questions, eased anxieties, and gave us the kind of emotional support that cannot be taught — only carried by someone with a truly special heart. In moments when we felt overwhelmed and uncertain, Alicia was a steady presence we could trust.
By the end of his stay, Alicia no longer felt like “just his nurse.” She felt like part of our family. That is the kind of impact she made. She created a bond with my grandfather and with all of us that we will never forget. She brought humanity, hope, and healing into a time that could have easily felt only clinical and painful.
There are nurses who provide excellent care, and then there are nurses like Alicia — the kind who leave a permanent mark on the hearts of the patients and families they serve. Her compassion, emotional presence, humor, professionalism, and ability to make people feel safe and cared for are truly rare. She did not just help my grandfather heal physically; she helped carry him, and all of us, through one of the hardest times in our lives.
For all of these reasons, I can say with complete sincerity that Alicia Erwin is profoundly deserving of the DAISY Award. Our family will never forget the love and care she gave my grandfather, and we will always be grateful for the difference she made in all of our lives.