I had the opportunity to work with Mattie during a 2-week COVID-19 deployment to the Community Homes. While Mattie was always friendly and helpful toward visiting/deployed staff (we were many at that time), she was also very thoughtful toward and concerned with Veteran residents, and their ongoing well-being. When a Vet, who was a long time Community Home resident, died during my time there, Mattie made every effort to make sure that his friends and peers had access to resources and supported them emotionally through their grieving – even setting up a special memorial for the Vet in his room, and arranging for each Vet who wanted/needed to be able to visit the memorial and share memories about this Vet who had become so dear and special to them, as well as to Mattie. She made herself available to speak with the Vet’s family, offering her condolences – really embracing and demonstrating the ICARE values; putting our Veterans first- in life and in death.