In March of 2023 my husband and I came to the hospital in labor. Wendy, our nurse, unfortunately, was the one to discover that our son no longer had a heartbeat and quickly went to get the doctor, who then told us our son would be born still. Wendy was an angel throughout the entire process. She found the perfect balance of somberness while remaining encouraging throughout my labor. I am also a NICU nurse at UVH, and she quickly communicated my wishes to my manager and co-workers so that I was not overwhelmed trying to do so. When my son was born, she jumped into action, taking my phone and taking dozens of photos of some of the only moments we would get with our son.

A little over a year later, I was back in the hospital to have my daughter, though Wendy was not our nurse that day, she was there and remembered my name, and when she saw that I was there, she came in to say hello and to let my husband and I know that she had been thinking of us often during the last year and had been hoping to be able to see us again under better circumstances. She truly made the worst day of my life just a little better.

I think of Wendy often and how her compassion helped me and my husband. She handled a terrible situation in the best way possible. The photos she took that day are some of my most treasured possessions, and they have been an important part of my grief and healing journey and will be a treasured memory for the rest of my life.

Note: This is Wendy's 2nd DAISY Award!