My dad was admitted to the MICU with respiratory failure/ARDS. We met Whitney about 5 days into his stay. From the first time she entered his room, we knew she was going to be special. She spoke to my dad (who was heavily sedated) upon entering and explained everything she was doing to him (and my mom) upon leaving. She worked tirelessly to wean his sedation and succeeded when he opened his eyes and began to have movement. She was the first in his room. She addressed him as Mr. to which he bucked slightly. My mom and I laughed, explaining that he always said Mr. was his dad, and that he was "E" from now on. She addressed my dad as “E” just as he would have preferred.

She took time to speak to my mom, my sister, and me about who our dad was prior to his illness. She laughed and cried with us as we shared stories. Unfortunately, after Whitney's hard work of weaning sedation and doing spontaneous breathing trials on the vent, my dad took a turn for the worse. She spoke with my sister and me on her last day as daddy’s nurse, helping to guide our hearts. The day that my dad passed away, she was not our nurse, but she did stop in to check on him and our family several times. She prayed with my mom, my sister, and me in the hallway and she knelt on the floor to speak to my son and nephews in the waiting room.

She checked on us before she left her shift, hugging us and letting us know she was thinking about praying for us. My dad passed away in the MICU after a week-long battle. Whitney showed up to his visitation and again we shared stories, laughs, and tears over my dad’s life and what all she did for not only him, but us. Whitney is one of the most caring, kindest nurses that we’ve had the joy of having. She took amazing care of not only my dad, but my mom, sister, family, and myself. She displays every core value of CHI St Vincent in a way that goes above and beyond. We can’t thank her.