Our family had the pleasure of meeting Makenda in January. She was an absolute angel. She was understanding of my father-in-law’s situation and the outcomes that may occur. She spoke with my husband’s family in the simplest terms so they understood what was going on. As a fellow ICU nurse, I commend her for that. She would constantly check in on us, even lending her ear to listen or just her kind words for the family members who needed it.

When the time came for our family to decide what to do regarding my father-in-law’s care, she stood beside us. She even agreed to my crazy request. When I have a patient, who I make comfortable to pass on, I print telemetry strips for the immediate family to take home and cherish. Although our situation and outcome were bleak, she remained so accommodating to our situation and family members.

I want to thank Makenda. Thank her for her kind words, compassion, and above all the drive to continue to work in intensive care. Our jobs as a nurse are not easy, but she handled every curveball with grace, pose, compassion, and competence. Although we may never see each other again, she allowed my father-in-law to have dignity and grace in his final moments surrounded by the many people who loved him. She will always be in our hearts, and we are forever grateful.

As for me, she allowed me to be able to speak with her regarding the prognosis long before my husband’s family was accepting of the situation. She accepted my views and validated everything I knew based on our jobs. I saw a vision of myself and my job in her that day. I want to thank her for that. She gave me extra support in knowing she would take care of everything, even though the nurse in me was all I knew to stay composed. She allowed me to help, even though she didn’t have to. She has touched our lives forever and will continue to have a special place there.