Anxiously waiting for any news, someone came out and asked us to come to a room in the back to talk. At that point, we all started breaking down preparing for the worst. As a family, we were told the news that after multiple unsuccessful attempts of bringing my Pepaw back, that he was brain dead. My Memaw had started having chest discomfort in the midst of all this, so we alerted the staff. Sure enough, she was also in the middle of a heart attack. At that moment, our entire world stopped.
From the very minute that this situation snowballed the entire staff at North Florida Regional Medical center was prepared and there for us every step of the way. Before they took my Memaw back, the nurses and staff wheeled her back in the same room to my Pepaw to say goodbye. She held his hand and with all of us around, our family knew that Pepaw wouldn't want to be on a vent- he would just wantto go home to Heaven.
Pepaw wasn't afraid of death, but as a family, we were all terrified of what life would be like without him. Death is a very intimate experience. It is something sacred and, on that day, it blindsided all of us. The one thing that gave us peace in a situation where we thought there was none, was in the staff that we met. Everyone who was in that room with us each gave us comfort in a different way.
Something that sticks out to me when thinking about Danyal is the saying that "People may not always remember everything you said, but they will always remember how you make them feel." That night she made us feel loved. She cared for my Pepaw and she cared for us. She gave us peace because she gave us the time to say our final goodbyes to our dear loved one. We were never rushed or interrupted. Danyal treated us like family. She saw my Pepaw not just as a patient but as a person who was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. She did way beyond what was ever asked or expected. She shared tears with us, stayed by our side and was a calming presence in the midst of this storm.
Her shift ended at 7 pm and our Pepaw passed peacefully at 11:20 pm. As we watched the heart rate decrease and breathing come to an end, our hearts breaking. She was there. She didn't leave. That night changed all of us but having her as his nurse, her kindness and understanding made it a little easier to get through. That night we lost our hero, but in our eyes, you are all our heroes. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. We hope that you always remember that you do make a difference.