Kim worked today and received a call from her husband, an airline mechanic with Southwest who was returning home after working several days in Denver. Upon boarding his flight home, he was asked to sit next to a specific passenger on her way to Phoenix who had received word that her son had been in a motorcycle accident early in the morning. With the hope of reaching him before he died, she quickly booked a flight. Unfortunately, she received word prior to taking off that her son had passed away. Kim's husband sat with this grieving mother as a representative of Southwest and as a caring human being, and spoke with and supported her all the way to Phoenix. This mother explained that upon arriving in Phoenix, she would be picked up and taken to Banner Desert Medical Center to see her son. He quickly explained that his wife, Kim, worked at BDMC and that she was working that day. He asked if it would be okay if Kim reached out to her. She agreed. Upon hearing this from her husband, Kim called this mother and arranged to meet her upon arrival at the hospital. Kim walked her to the ICU and sat with her outside the room for quite some time while she sobbed over the loss of her son. Before entering her son's room, Kim explained that she would wait outside the room for a while in case she needed anything.
After speaking with Kim about this later in the day and realizing it was also the anniversary of her brother's unexpected death, I can only admire the strength and courage it took for Kim to put her own grieving and pain aside and take the time to care for and comfort a stranger facing such incredible pain and loss.
Kim later received this text message from this mother:
Today marks one month since the worst day of my life. It is also one month since I met two of the kindest people on the planet. I have no doubt that my son had a hand in putting the two of you in my path because he knew how much I needed you in that moment. I will be eternally grateful to you both for all of your support and kindness.