27 year old Jonathan Pinkard was not going to survive wihtout a heart transplant, but doctors took him off the donor list because he was unable to care for himself and didn't have anybody to take care of him after the surgery.
He is autistic and at the time was living at a shelter after his grandmother passed away and his mom was in rehab.
That all changed when he met Joy Wood, an ICU nurse at Piedmont Newnan Hospital in Georgia, who was assigned to care for him. She knew because he didn't have a suppport syustem he wasn't eligible for the transplant. "One of the requirements is that you have someone to care for you afterwards."
After meeting him she decided that she was going to be Pinkard's support system, and offered to adopt him as her own son just two days later. Pinkard moved in with Wood, and the two quickly bonded over football and game shows. Shortly thereafter he got the news that he would receive a new heart which he got in August.
She monitors his medication and takes him to and from the hospital when he has an appointment. She is also trying to help him become more independent so he can live on his own one day.
The nurse didn't do this for personal gain. She did it because she's a nurse. But her incredible gesture WAS recognized.
The President’s Award is the culminating event of Piedmont’s Promise 360 employee recognition program that awards deserving employees who go above and beyond for patients, visitors or their co-workers. Nominees to the President’s Award include one Promise 360 Champion and two Spotlight winners who represent each Piedmont hospital and entity. The 2018-2019 winner is Lorinda (Lori) Wood, staff RN, PACU from Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Watch...