While our daughter was intubated with respiratory failure, I was a scared and nervous dad. Early in our stay at the hospital, Sergio was one of those nurses who brought about calm reassurance. I recall distinctly when I would arrive to the hospital in the morning, he would stop me at the door and go through her status and plan for the day in detail. As a detail-oriented person, this really helped me feel confident in her care. He took the time to explain things, answer questions, and did not walk away until all of my questions were answered. Probably the biggest thing was the care he gave to our daughter. He treated her like a treasure.

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I am a nurse who works alongside Sergio. He has been a PICU nurse for over ten years. He is someone who is consistently professional, kind, compassionate, and brilliant. He is also someone who cares for the sickest of the sick and in the moments of greatest challenges, has a calming demeanor that is meaningful to families and to his colleagues. If I am ever overwhelmed in an assignment and Sergio is in the room with me, I am reassured by his presence that we will deliver the best care possible. He recently cared for a very sick child and bonded deeply with their family over the course of several months. When it came time for the child to pass, it was fate that Sergio was his nurse that day. He helped the family navigate decisions over his comfort and ensured the room was filled with nothing less than love and compassion. He stayed over an hour after his shift ended to be there when he finally died. His family said to me, "Sergio is our family now." I can't imagine another situation that displays the importance of nursing in the care of our patients. Sergio consistently displays the interaction of science, art, ethics, and advocacy in nursing care and I don't know anyone who is more deserving of this award than him.