My niece tragically passed away at your hospital after an accident. It has taken me this long to have the courage to acknowledge the wonderful care that she and our family received from the ICU nurse, Peter Blank. You see my niece was only 19 years old. No one expects to tragically lose a family, especially not a 19-year-old so much life left to live. Our grieving family was not easy to deal with on a daily basis, however, Peter not only cared for my niece but calmly and with a great deal of compassion and professionalism dealt with our drama. He not only looked after my niece, but he looked after us. He delivered a consistent, caring message to each of us.

At times, we had family members wanting to split the staff. We all wanted to hear what we wanted to hear, however, Peter delivered the truth every time and only the truth. I am sure as nurses you can all relate to this tactic from grieving family members. Also, he wrapped us in his gentle and compassionate care. There was one instance when we decided to “let her pass” that I lost it. I had a literal breakdown at her bedside. I looked up tear-filled eyes from my raging fit and there was Peter. He had stepped into the room without a sound and gently placed his hand on my shoulder. He didn’t say a word, just his presence was all I needed to calm down and breathe. Presence is a gift and he gave me the greatest gift of all. That day I saw “his soul”, his beautiful, kind, loving soul. By honoring Peter with this DAISY Nomination, it has given me another chance to heal. You should be honored that Peter is a nurse in your institution. He is a beautiful gift in a very dark moment.