When this nurse was young, his aunt told me the story of his grandmother being in the hospital and that the nurses went out of their way to go off campus and get her a Coca-Cola as one of her final wishes. I imagine that story influences Rafael regularly, as I witnessed Raphael provide the same level of excellent care for a young patient who was actively dying in the ICU from cancer.

It was the patient’s wish to marry his fiancée. They were due to be wedded the following week, which was no longer possible due to his prognosis, and the ICU and Care Coordination team worked quickly to make that happen. As wedding preparations were underway, Rafael ran down the street to grab a beautiful bouquet of roses for the bride to hold as she married her loving partner, who would later pass that night.

Rafael demonstrated the type of care he witnessed as a child, and he provides that same standard of care to all his patients. Rafael consistently embodies humankindness in everything that he does and with everyone he encounters in the ICU.