My son was born at 34 weeks at UC Westchester Hospital. He was transferred to the main campus after four days for a higher level of care. We didn’t get in until almost midnight to the main campus NICU. I remember walking out that night in tears, feeling like I was in prison. I remember begging God to please let me take my baby home.

The next day we had Cori as his nurse, when I tell you she was an angel, it was an understatement. At one point during our 3-week stay, my mom had broken her foot, and Cori went and found a wheelchair for her and wheeled her down to her car herself. She was constantly making sure I was okay and always checking on my son. Even when there were a million other babies she had to take care of, I always felt like she made it her job to make sure I knew my son was important too and that she would do everything she could to take care of him.

She made crafts with him to decorate his little area, she made him a special little hat that looked like teddy bear ears. She always went above and beyond, and I will never be able to thank her enough for being my light through the absolute darkest moments of my life. As a nurse myself and a mother, I can’t imagine a more deserving nurse to receive this award than Cori.