Suffering a spinal cord injury was the most challenging experience of my life. In an instant, everything changed: my body, my future, and my sense of control. I found myself surrounded by machines and an uncertainty that felt heavier than the injury itself. However, amidst that chaos, one person became a guiding light for me: my nurse, Jocelyn.

It's hard to believe how much one individual can make during such a difficult time, but Jocelyn's care transcended medical treatment. It was healing in the truest sense of the world. Yes, she monitored my vitals and administered medications, but she also provided something no machine or medication could: compassion, love, and hope. She treated me not as a diagnosis or a number on a chart, but as a human being.

Jocelyn continued to care for me even when I wasn't assigned to her for the day. She always took the time to stop and ask about my day and how I was doing. I walked around the unit every day, and she was the only one who consistently greeted me and reminded me to be careful. Having been a lawyer for 40 years, I have developed a keen sense of character, and I can confidently say that Jocelyn truly cares for her patients. I was deeply impressed by her genuine concern.

I lay awake each night, hoping and praying she would be my nurse the following day. I started as a quadriplegic due to my spinal cord injury, and I am now preparing to go home and walk out of this building. One of the things I will never forget is when Jocelyn said that seeing me well and going home is all the gratitude she needs. I look at her and see a high-quality person, motivated by goodness, who genuinely cares for her patients.