I met Kimberly after my husband of nearly 60 years was rushed to the hospital from the Veteran's home. He had Parkinson's Disease and had contracted Covid. I knew that he was very sick but I did not realize that he was dying.

Kimberly came into my life when I desperately needed someone to lean on. My husband was still conscious at that time. I spoke to him and he opened his eyes to look at me. I heard a gasp and turned to see Kim, whose eyes were brimming with tears. She said that she had never seen the depth of love as she saw when my husband, C, looked at me. Kim hugged me and asked if I needed anything. We talked for several minutes and she asked if she could pray for C and me. I was so filled with peace as we knelt and she said one of the most beautiful prayers that I have ever heard. C lived three more days. During those very difficult days, he was lovingly cared for and so was I.

Kim worked long, hard hours on the Covid wing, but she always had a smile and always asked if she could get anything for us. Kim represents everything that a nurse should be. She genuinely cares about the patient and the patient's family. She is skilled, compassionate, and kind. She gives the same level of care to everyone that she would give to her own family. Covid has robbed us of loved ones, changed the way we live, and taken a terrible toll on our medical community. But, with people such as Kim, we have hope for a better future. I will never forget Kim and how she walked with C and me through the valley of the shadow of death. She was a ray of light through a very hard journey.