Ashley proved that it's the little things that are actually the biggest things when it comes to saving hearts. Nobody could save my 93-year-old Dad's life, whose deck was stacked against him. But in the process of his dying, Ashley saved his heart and ours. She saved him by truly 'seeing' him not as an old dying man, but as an individual deserving of grace and respect. She delighted him with her sense of humor. She made every encounter a quality experience. She saved ours by making the most difficult situation bearable. She hugged us. She delighted in our endless reminiscings of my father's amazing life. She shared our laughter and tears. She wasn't even assigned to him on his last days, but she came in several times a day to check on all of us. She put the bed rail down, sat on his bed, held his hand and whispered encouragement, and then eventually a final good-bye in his ear. Ashley helped us to not feel alone, but to feel heard and loved. And it made ALL of the difference.