I am 32 years old and was 19 weeks 4 days pregnant with my first baby when my water broke in the middle of the night. My husband and I rushed to Rideout ER and were taken up to L&D for care. We were greeted by such wonderful nurses and doctors who were so kind to us even as they explained how dire our situation was and how concerned they were for the health of our baby.

In the midst of all the chaos, we had the privilege of meeting Andreea who, like a ray of sunshine in the middle of all of the darkness, came into our room after we spent some hours speaking to all the providers. She spent the next hour (maybe more) speaking with me while my husband slept. She was incredibly kind, compassionate, and gentle as she gave me encouragement while also being honest with me about the reality of my situation. I was in complete shock most of that morning but even after being discharged from the hospital I couldn’t stop thinking about Andreea (who I now refer to as my Angel to all my friends and family) …. she may not have realized how deeply heartbroken and devastated I was to be losing my baby. She may not have realized how alone and lost I felt before she came into my room early that morning. But she came. And it made all the difference for me.

Unfortunately, I went on to miscarry my baby the following evening at a different hospital. But while I’m devastated over the loss of my son, I can’t help but be so grateful that it was through this experience that God sent me an angel in Andreea. She embodies what I believe it truly means to be a nurse (it brings tears to my eyes even now to think there such genuinely kind people out there). Thank you, Andreea.