Starting at about 17 years old I made a lot of poor life choices and definitely wasn't taking care of myself. I continued on this downward spiral until, at 19, I finally tried to kill myself with alcohol and pills. While I was in the hospital, there was a nurse who made all the difference in the world. She took the time to sit by my and tell me about herself and her daughter, who was close to my age. She told me that she would do anything in the world to keep her daughter from killing herself and she was sure that my mother felt the same way. She made a huge impact on my life.

Because of this nurse who took 5 minutes out of her day to show she cared about me, I applied for nursing school. I worked as a nurse for a few years and eventually became a 9-1-1 dispatcher. On November 1st, I will celebrate my 15 year anniversary as a dispatcher. I have gotten to talk to so many people that are feeling suicidal and family members worried about their loved ones. Every single time, I am so grateful that I came through my experience strong enough to help others every day I am at work.

Full Circle