Nurse Sarah was there when he passed.

He tanked on a Monday, just as I was about to go run an errand. Her voice was so soft, gentle, supportive, and informative when she said, “I think you should wait to leave.”

She was constantly coming back. I’m saying more than she needed to for her job requirements, and that is already a lot.

Sarah helped lead the conversation with the doctors about comfort care. She gave us privacy but also support (I can’t explain it well, I guess) when he was ultimately taken off the ventilator.

I asked her to tell me when his heart stopped. She made sure to stay nearby in the most respectful way. I fear I traumatized her with the noise I let out when she confirmed he had passed. She was so professional, but I could truly tell she cared.

I couldn’t leave his body, and my best friend’s mom arrived close to 5:00 p.m. and asked Sarah to come help me. I was a sobbing mess because I felt like he was alone and wouldn’t know where I was. She hugged me so intently and reassured me that she had him. She told me she would play his music, talk to him about me, and make sure he knew he was being cared for.

Sarah changed my life.

She also signed a condolence card for us, and her words are etched into my memory. Sarah will be remembered for the rest of my life—so vividly, too.

She deserves recognition, praise, respect, a raise, and more. Every single person from his team in the ICU and on the 7th floor deserves praise. I am forever broken by his death, but I was blessed that we were given the teams we were.

Thank you, Sarah. I love you. I can’t even explain it.

Thank you for loving him and giving him the respect and effort I knew he deserved. And obviously, you did too.