I first met Ashley when my mother was taken to the Neuro ICU directly after she went into cardiac arrest while at Mercy Hospital. During our time there we were told the damage was irreversible and our family made the very difficult decision to take her off life support. Ashley was our nurse during this time and was ever so kind and gentle towards both my mother and my family. Always making sure we had everything we needed. And most importantly her compassion for her job was evident in the gentle way she cared for my mother. You could tell her genuine care for her despite never "truly" meeting the person she was. She got to know my mother through us and learned her likes and dislikes. She had a procedure that required the shaving of some of her hair and her remaining hair was in a ponytail. This would have been something she would not have liked.

The day she was to be taken off the machines, Ashley was her day nurse but asked if she could stay over to help take her off the machines and see if she could be an organ donor. She absolutely did not have to do this. She knew we felt comfortable with her and this eased our difficult situation even if just for a short time. Before we were scheduled to take mom off the machines, my father, sister, and I went to eat in the cafeteria. When we got back to her room, we found Ashley had washed and taken out the "man bun," as we affectionally called it.

Additionally, she had Doris Day music playing for her which was her all-time favorite. My 6-year old daughter had made a medal for her to wear when she met Jesus that said, "Best Nana Ever," and Ashley knew how important it was for her to wear during this time. She always paid special attention to make sure it was put back in place after necessary care was provided. Even though this was the hardest time in my family's lives, Ashley managed to ease our suffering, by these small but personalized acts of kindness. We are forever grateful for the care she provided my mother in her last days on Earth.