Our journey to Miami Valley Hospital started rather suddenly. I had a scheduled induction planned at Wilson Hospital in Sidney for Sunday. However, on Friday, my blood pressure became alarmingly high. We knew Wilson wouldn’t be able to help with blood pressure that high, so we headed to Miami Valley at 10 p.m. We were taken to triage, and little did we know our lives were about to change. Labor was a whole ordeal filled with many obstacles and scary situations, but in the end, I was fine, and our baby was delivered via C-section. They had trouble regulating his glucose and spent six days in the NICU at Miami Valley while their incredible team of doctors and nurses worked to correct the glucose levels in his little body. We were overwhelmed and scared, to say the least—worn out, exhausted, and worried about our baby boy. One nurse really stood out; she went above and beyond. Her name is Lily Irons. She explained things very well and treated our son amazingly. She reassured us, educated us, and showed true empathy for parents. She sets an example not only as a nurse, but as a genuinely kind person. My husband is a first-time father, so naturally, everything was new to him. Lily went above and beyond to help him feel comfortable and confident caring for our son. He was weaned off the IV for his glucose and was about to be released, but something wasn’t quite right. We had some concerns, and Lily noticed his skin appeared purple and mottled. He was also getting winded during his feeds. Shortly before he was scheduled to be released, bloodwork was run, an ultrasound of his heart was performed, and it was determined that our baby had a serious heart condition. Our lives were about to change forever—our newborn baby boy had coarctation of the aorta and a hole in his heart. He was rushed off, and they were able to administer medication to keep his PDA open, which was critically important. We didn’t know much about the heart, and certainly not about his condition. The doctor and Lily did an incredible job educating us. As absolutely terrified as we were—our world was literally being turned upside down—the attention, compassion, and willingness Lily showed to help us understand what was happening, along with her reassurance that our baby was in good hands, made all the difference in the world. He was transported to Cincinnati Children’s the next day, where the rest of his journey continued. We still stay in contact; Lily Irons is an honorary “Auntie.” We would love to see her receive the recognition she truly deserves. We can never thank her enough for being there for us during one of the most difficult times in our lives. This Award would serve as a small token of our appreciation. Miami Valley NICU is blessed to have Lily on their team—she truly is the best of the best.