I would like Leta to be recognized with the DAISY Award—an honor that, quite honestly, feels long overdue. Not because she has ever been anything less than deserving, but because the extraordinary care she provides has become what so many of us have simply come to expect from her. That consistency, while remarkable, risks allowing her compassion and dedication to go unrecognized.

I have had the privilege of working alongside Leta for over a decade in the SICU at Mayo Clinic Florida. During that time, I have witnessed, again and again, a nurse whose passion for patient care extends far beyond clinical excellence. She is deeply committed not only to the team she leads and the patients she serves, but also to their families. Family, caregivers, and support persons are such an integral part of a patient's healing, but who is caring for the caregiver often goes overlooked. Leta ensures they are seen, heard, and supported.

What sets Leta apart is her ability to form genuine, meaningful connections with families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. She takes the time to truly know her patients—their stories, their routines, and the people who love them. She invests herself fully, often spending hours at the bedside simply listening, offering reassurance, sharing hope, and even praying with those who seek it. Her presence brings a sense of comfort and humanity that cannot be taught.

One memory that has stayed with me for years involves a set of teenage twins with cystic fibrosis. Leta would come in on her days off just to spend time with them, turning ordinary moments into something special—like painting their nails for a “spa day.” It was a small gesture, but it brought joy and normalcy into an otherwise difficult situation.

More recently, I watched her care for a patient whose wife had traveled from the Panhandle, far from home and facing a long, uncertain ICU stay. Leta sat with her, spoke with her about books, offered thoughtful suggestions for navigating her time in Jacksonville, and gently encouraged her to find a sense of community while she was here, such as a church home.

When the wife asked Leta to pray with her, they stood together at the bedside, holding hands over the patient. As Leta spoke, I could hear the quiet sound of the wife’s sobs — an unmistakable sign of the comfort and peace Leta was able to provide in that moment.

Leta embodies the very essence of nursing. She does not simply meet physical needs—she tends to the emotional and spiritual well-being of everyone in her care. She reminds us that nursing is both a science and an art, requiring not only skill but heart. In both, she excels.

For all these reasons and countless others, I wholeheartedly believe Leta is the embodiment of what the DAISY Award represents. It is time her extraordinary compassion, dedication, and humanity are recognized and celebrated.