Our youngest son, struggling with addiction, was discovered unresponsive in our home. He was cyanotic, eyes rolled back, mouth frothing, no palpable pulse and shallow, agonal breathing. Frightened to think how long he had been like this, my husband and I frantically began CPR, which after many repeated intervals, was seemingly ineffective. God in His Mercy had this nurse in close enough proximity that she had heard my husband's beckon for help and came running. Her confidence in taking a leadership role was SO appreciated. She was at ease delegating, with instructions that were direct, clear & concise. She requested his brother to call 911 and asked if we had Narcan. She assumed the role & position of CPR in my absence while I ran to retrieve it. The first dose of Narcan was administered intranasally, subsequently followed by a second dose… Neither induced a response. With a renewed sense of urgency, this nurse recalled responding to a drug overdose in a hospital restroom where an anesthesiologist, recognizing the last opportunity to revive a young woman, administered an injectable dose of Narcan intranasally and the patient immediately reversed. As there was still no pulse nor spontaneous respirations, without hesitation, we followed that plan for rapid reversal. After what felt to be the longest 10 seconds of our lives…his eyes shot open, he jumped to his feet & asked, "What's going on?" "You died," this nurse began. Then, arm in arm, she continued to explain as she escorted him to the ambulance.

She relayed the event history to paramedics in perfect detail, then stayed to comfort and process the event with us. She calmly communicated and executed high-level professionalism and compassion in this potentially ethically charged situation with the utmost respect and support. She earned our profound trust and respect for the deep breath of her knowledge and skill demonstrated as she worked tirelessly & diligently to save our son. It is with sincere gratitude that we request this exceptional nurse be publicly recognized for making an unbearable situation a beautiful story of hope and rescue. She is a valuable asset to CAMC and our community, an exemplary role model who personifies your organization's commitment to excellence in nursing care, and one to whom this family will be forever grateful.