My mom was transported to the ICU from the Shawnee location for sepsis. On our second night of pacing the halls and three codes later, Courtney took over care of my mom, who we had been told immediately prior that her chances were not looking good. My mom was the rock of our family, and as we all came in and out of the room and followed the rules, Courtney never once blinked from taking care of my mom.

We had been told a lot of things that day, but my mom’s state worsened, and we had asked Courtney to please tell us everything, as we had to make the difficult decision to take my mom off all machines or not. She showed us things other nurses had not, explained everything in a way that we understood, and she did her very best in everything she did. When we finally made the decision, we decided we wanted her to be the one to be with us when my mom passed. We asked her to stop the machines and let my mother go, not only because my mom could no longer fight, but also because Courtney had made a lasting impact on all of our hearts, and I know my mom would have been comfortable with her had she been able to. So when we asked her if she would do that for us, she graciously said yes, and I think we also maybe touched her heart as well, because we had seen the value in what she was doing not only for my mom but for all of us.

My mom was very sick, and through every hospital and every doctor’s office, Courtney stood out because she was not only an amazing nurse, but in that moment, to a family who was losing the most important person to them, she was so much more than that, too. Her compassion, honesty, integrity, and kindness make her extraordinary.