When Zoe came on shift at 7 pm, my wife had been laboring for 9 hours. We were exhausted, discouraged, and frustrated. Zoe came into the room and with a compassionate energy exclaimed “All right everybody, I’m only here until midnight tonight so we are going to have this baby before then.” Suddenly we were recharged. I saw the hope in my wife’s eyes, and she smiled.

Over the next 5 hours, Zoe was in our room nearly every second supporting and encouraging my wife. She enthusiastically helped my wife change positions as our baby wouldn’t tolerate certain spots. She refilled our waters often, got my wife popsicles, and continued to speak positively and hopefully. She cheered on progression and advocated for concerns we had. As my wife began to push our baby would occasionally drop her heart rate. Zoe didn’t panic and kept my wife calm, and she worked with our NP to pause or change positions again as appropriate. True to Zoe’s word, our little girl T was born at 11:46 pm.

The NICU team was already in the room, and T wasn’t as vigorous as the team wanted. They brought her over to the warmer to suction and check vitals. Unbeknownst to me at the time, as I was at the warmer, Zoe was distracting my wife from her concern and worry. Congratulating her, calming her, telling her how beautiful T was, and reassuring her. Zoe stayed on, helped complete the process and came by after 2 a.m. to say a final goodbye.

Zoe was transformational to our birthing experience. She changed the trajectory of our day. She made us feel safe.

There are few people in this world designed to do what they do. We feel strongly that Zoe was designed to be a Labor and Delivery nurse and to bring joy and peace to those who need it.

Zoe, thank you for being competent, strong, kind, and resilient. You demonstrated what makes nurses who they are. From the bottom of our hearts, we are grateful.