Sydney, your calm, gentle demeanor, attention to detail, and your thoughtful gestures, like ensuring our son's comfort by positioning, dressing, and cleaning his wounds, washing his hair, talking to him, and wanting to know things about him, will be etched in my memory forever. Your focus, attitude, and respect towards your patients and coworkers indicate how much you care about your work and about making everyone feel valued. You provided comfort not only to our son but also to his parents, who were feeling scared and emotional in what was the worst moment of their lives. You were always a steady presence; your ability to balance professionalism with genuine humanity showed what type of person you are. You understood and recognized the stress and fear we were going through and gave us reassurance and support. You took the time to check in on us, leaving positive messages, prayers, and good wishes. You gave us hope and time with our boy and honored him with a beautiful memorial when he passed away. It has been a difficult journey, but you provided us with compassion and love and touched our lives in ways we will never forget. You did your best, and that's all we needed.

***

My son's father was admitted to the ICU during one of the scariest times of our lives. There were so many unknowns and fear, but through all of it, Sydney brought calm, compassion, and care to our room that we will never forget. From the moment that Sydney stepped into our room, she made it clear that her priority wasn't just R's medical chart, it was him as a person. She took time to listen to us and what we had to say about him. She spoke to us with such respect and explained every step of what was happening and what she was doing. Sydney listened to everything that we had to say. She learned his story, his quirks, and the things that made him who he was. But what Sydney did that really touched our hearts during R's stay was for our son, C.

Sydney knew how hard it was for our son to understand what was happening because he was only 7. One day, while we were there, quietly and without any expectation of recognition, she arranged for a stuffed animal to be made for our son. Now this may not seem like a big deal to others, but Sydney paid attention. She watched as my son brought all his blankets and stuffed animals to the hospital to stay with his dad in hopes that he would heal. The stuffed animal that Sydney made for C held his dad's heartbeat recording inside. That small bear has become one of my son's favorite stuffed animals. It wasn't just a gift; it was a piece of his dad, something he could hold and feel close to him. Sydney didn't have to do any of the things that she did, she didn't have to turn on music for R, she didn't have to display any of our coloring pictures, and she didn't have to put C's stuffed animals and blankets back where he placed them, she didn't have to go above and beyond for us especially in such a demanding department like the ICU but she did.

Sydney did all of this with grace and kindness, always with a smile on her face, which is exactly the kind of nurse this award was meant for. Sydney didn't just care for R; she cared for us, his family. She brought light into an incredibly dark time for us, and we will forever be grateful for her. Even though July 2025 is the anniversary of R's death, we won't always have terrible memories of this day. We can remember all the wonderful things Sydney did for us to make us comfortable, and we can grieve. She deserves the DAISY Award more than words can even explain. She is a wonderful person and an amazing nurse. Everyone should receive the kind of care that Sydney offers. Anyone who gets her as a nurse is incredibly lucky.