We lost my father almost a year ago and there has not been a single day since then that I have not thought about the blessing that Callie Mellinger is. My father, B, suffered a massive stroke in December 2023. Our family met Callie in the ICU that night. We loved her immediately. Her kindness and compassion were the gift we needed on what would be the hardest few days of our lives. When my dad complained about the softness of the pillowcase on the first night, she showed up the next night with a pillowcase for him that she brought from her home.

Midnight rolled around during that shift, and she learned it was my birthday. When she arrived for her third night with my dad, she brought me a birthday treat, my favorite drink from Starbucks. When she read his monitor and told us it was time for us to hold his hand and say goodbye to Daddy B, she stood at the foot of his bed, somehow being simultaneously present and yet respectfully invisible to allow us the privilege to thank our father for ballet lessons and college educations and for making the world a better place as he passed away. And then, she helped me through an "I can not leave him" moment and made sure I knew that she would take care of his body when I left the room to head home.

Callie let us know it was okay to laugh during the lighter moments, and she hugged us through the rougher ones. And she did all of this while acting as a preceptor to an orientee, guiding precious C and finding teachable moments. She took amazing care of Daddy B, but she also took amazing care of us while we navigated his final days. When I count my blessings, I know that Callie is one of them.