June 2026 Honoree
John Dykstra, RN
My 16-year-old son has been in and out of the hospital since he was a baby. He was born with a heart condition, so being in the hospital is not something new for us.
You meet good people along the way who go the extra mile. Others are probably tired from a long day of work and do what they can to help you in a not-so-friendly way, for lack of a better term. But then you get to see angels, and we crossed paths with one of them. Then everything feels better, like everything will be alright, even when your world is falling apart.
My son felt an instant sense of relief the moment he saw his big bed. He had been uncomfortable most of the time he spent sleeping there because of his height. John, you fixed it in minutes. In that moment, you made him feel safe—like everything was going to be okay, like he could count on you. He felt the warmth of your heart, and for the first time in weeks, he slept like a baby.
He is the kind of kid who wants to understand everything, and you took the time to answer all his questions with patience and care. You brought a game system for him to play. You were attentive and always watching over him, so much so that when the O2 sat alarm beeped twice, you were already in the room, gently asking him to wake up and take deep breaths in a calm and reassuring tone.
John, you even came and saved the day with the clippers to cut his hair when mine died. You are such a great human being.
All I can say is that today, we got to meet a real-life angel, and that is rare—you don’t get to meet an angel very often. Remember, John, it’s not what you did that made us see you this way; it’s how you did it—the way you did it, and the way my son felt with you around.
I hope that you keep helping more people and bringing hope and joy to others as you did to us. Remember that with great power comes great responsibility. In a place where fear and uncertainty are constant, you brought us peace and joy—and that’s something truly rare.
Thank you, John. God bless you
You meet good people along the way who go the extra mile. Others are probably tired from a long day of work and do what they can to help you in a not-so-friendly way, for lack of a better term. But then you get to see angels, and we crossed paths with one of them. Then everything feels better, like everything will be alright, even when your world is falling apart.
My son felt an instant sense of relief the moment he saw his big bed. He had been uncomfortable most of the time he spent sleeping there because of his height. John, you fixed it in minutes. In that moment, you made him feel safe—like everything was going to be okay, like he could count on you. He felt the warmth of your heart, and for the first time in weeks, he slept like a baby.
He is the kind of kid who wants to understand everything, and you took the time to answer all his questions with patience and care. You brought a game system for him to play. You were attentive and always watching over him, so much so that when the O2 sat alarm beeped twice, you were already in the room, gently asking him to wake up and take deep breaths in a calm and reassuring tone.
John, you even came and saved the day with the clippers to cut his hair when mine died. You are such a great human being.
All I can say is that today, we got to meet a real-life angel, and that is rare—you don’t get to meet an angel very often. Remember, John, it’s not what you did that made us see you this way; it’s how you did it—the way you did it, and the way my son felt with you around.
I hope that you keep helping more people and bringing hope and joy to others as you did to us. Remember that with great power comes great responsibility. In a place where fear and uncertainty are constant, you brought us peace and joy—and that’s something truly rare.
Thank you, John. God bless you
Thank you, John, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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