Message from the President

As her tears flowed, so did her story.

They were seated together on a bench near the gift shop at Lakeland Medical Center. Lyn Wigley, who lived near Chicago, had been camping out in the small family room near the Critical Care Unit (CCU) for more than a week. Her brother-in-law was in a near fatal auto accident and was being closely cared for.

Elizabeth Boniface, Manager, Patient Care Services Flex Pool, happened to be sitting beside Lyn, listening to her story.

Lyn’s tears were not as much about her brother-in-law but rather the loss of her mother just a week before the accident. Every time Lyn passed the gift shop she got teary-eyed as she spotted yellow shirts hanging on a display rack outside the shop. Her mother wanted a yellow shirt to wear on Easter. Lyn and her sister went to six stores and could not find one. Their mother passed away on Easter morning.

As Liz listened to the story, she was inspired to be generous. She went to the gift shop, selected a yellow shirt she thought would fit the tearful woman, proceeded to buy it, and with a smile, a hug, and a prayer offered it to the stranger.

As Lyn shared in her letter, “I told this story to my entire family and we all cried! Mom’s last wish was fulfilled!”

Liz wasn’t the only individual recognized by our out-of-town guest. In Lyn’s own words:

“I would be remiss not to acknowledge ‘friends’ I have made the last few weeks here at Lakeland, besides Ms. Boniface.

“Howard, Safety and Security Officer. He always greeted me with a smile on the many nights I couldn’t sleep and walked downstairs. He and I share a love of cycling and had a few short conversations about our trips. We would also meet in the café as Howard took his lunch.

“K-9 team Bruce and Inez. I got to know Bruce as my son is a K-9 officer in Elkhart, Indiana, for the Sheriff’s department. I loved Bruce and Inez’s daily visits. He also helped me find out Elizabeth Boniface’s name. I was so flabbergasted by her actions that I forgot!

“The CCU staff have been wonderful and compassionate. My sister and I made friends with many other CCU families and hope their loved ones have the same success in recovery as Bill has had.”

Lyn’s brother-in-law made a “near miraculous recovery” and she hoped he would be transferred to a rehab facility near Chicago. She expressed gratitude for the skilled and compassionate care he received.

What Lyn didn’t expect was the level of love and respect shown to her and how well the team came together to mend her broken heart. Thank you, team, for showing again that the “extra mile” is truly a part of who we are and what we do.

If you would like to read more of Message from the President, click here