I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Daniel McMurray for the care he provided to my dear friend. It is my privilege to recognize Daniel for everything he did for S, his wife and family, but also for the compassion and guidance he provided to S's second family; the Baton Rouge Fire Department.
We were truly blessed to have Daniel as S's provider. Daniel's father and other family members were firefighters, so he "got" it. The brotherhood they share and their constant presence in the waiting room, the hallways, S's room, etc.
Personally, my husband spent a lot of time in the waiting room. He had a lot of questions. I was so impressed by Daniel. One morning, as Daniel began his shift, he noticed my husband in the waiting room. It was before 6:00 am. Daniel told him, "Let me put my stuff down and get settled, and I'll come out and talk with you." He answered all of his questions about S's surgery (5 bypass), his recovery and what to expect over the next several days. He even drew a diagram of the heart so my husband could really understand the anatomy and what the surgeon did during the procedure.
I can honestly tell you that my husband rested easy knowing that Daniel was with S, taking care of him. Daniel encouraged my husband and the other firefighters to take part in S's recovery; he even had them assist S in walks down the hall and in transitioning from the bed to the chair. He went out of his way to give a personal touch to S's wife and his firefighter family. He was always calm, honest, and patient.
It just made me so proud to be a part of the Lake's family and to know Daniel was a part of my family too. He more than provided the spirit of healing - physical and emotional - during a very scary time.