When my nephew was born a few weeks early with respiratory issues and had to be admitted to the NICU, my entire family was overwhelmed with fear. For my sister-in-law, this fear was especially intense. She had previously suffered the heartbreaking loss of a baby at 21 weeks, so this delivery—while joyful—was also incredibly traumatic for her. She was filled with anxiety and terrified that history might repeat itself.

From the very beginning, Dominique became a source of light in the most uncertain times. She provided not only exceptional medical care to my nephew for three nights, but also unwavering emotional support to my sister-in-law. She recognized immediately how vulnerable she was, and treated her with the kind of empathy, patience, and compassion that cannot be taught.

Dominique explained every procedure, every beep of a machine, every medical update with a calm, reassuring presence that helped ease her fears. She celebrated the little victories—like the first time my nephew's oxygen needs decreased or when he began to feed better—as if he were a part of her own family.

It wasn’t just her clinical skill that made her stand out (though she clearly excels in that, too); it was the way she gave my brother and sister-in-law a sense of peace in the most vulnerable moments.

She was attentive, warm, and endlessly kind. She made space for her fears, validated her emotions, and reassured my sister-in-law when she was too scared to even hope. She didn’t just care for their baby—she cared for their hearts.

Dominique is the very definition of what the DAISY Award represents: compassion, excellence, and extraordinary nursing. I will never forget what she did for my family during one of the hardest times in their lives.