My father was brought in after cardiac arrest and was without O2 in his brain for 45 minutes. Erik Vasquez was my father's nurse while I spent 18 hours at the hospital. Erik was the perfect combination of professional, competent, friendly, and candid. Very often, doctors and nurses in the medical field lack the courage to say the truth and instead choose to be vague and ambiguous, allowing them to think it makes us feel better. Erik was better than that. He was tasteful but honest. Doctors who were less familiar with what we were dealing with would speak, and Erik would help us absorb what they actually meant. The timing and when we chose to remove my father from life support was partially made to ensure that Erik was still present. We knew it was happening and wanted him to be there with us. In a short time, that is how much he meant to us. I thank Erik from the bottom of my heart, and although it was another day at work for him, it will forever be the memory of the death of my father for me. It was better because he was a part of it, and I can’t thank him enough. ​