On March 26th, 2009 our very best friends welcomed into this world our Godchildren. They were a beautiful twin delivery with no complications and we were all over the moon excited. The story takes a turn here when, on their day of birth, hours after leaving labor and delivery, our Godson was still not interested in eating. He had an irregular heartbeat, and was just not doing what his nurse Amy Holston was happy with. She contacted the NICU practitioner on call and completed four extremity pulse ox testing on our Godson. Amy's attention to the subtle signs our Godson was exhibiting and her investigation into what may be causing them is what started the intervention that would save his little life. His testing showed significant differences in the readings of his pulse oximetry testing and bought him a trip to the NICU at AAMC where further testing revealed a significant undiagnosed Congenital Heart Defect called Shone's Complex. He needed transfer to a higher level NICU where they specialized in CHD and CHD treatment. Amy's keen sense and high skill level while our Godson was just beginning his tiny life at AAMC are what bought us 3 1/2 years we may have never had with him. Amidst all the chaos, we really never learned Amy's name. She was always the nurse from Mother/Baby who saved his life.

Over the next 3 years, he had many open heart surgeries and cardiac cath procedures. His time spent out of the hospital was enjoyed playing with his twin sister. On June 18th, 2012, our superhero passed away in his Mother's arms after complications from successful mitral valve placement the week before. Our world was shattered and our hearts were broken. I can recall many times over the 3 years our Godson was with us hearing his Mom say to me, "I need to pull his records from AAMC; I need to thank the nurse that saved his life, the one from mother/baby". As we sat in the church listening to his Dad and Grandfather honor his life, it happened someone remembered her name; Amy Matthews (now Holston). How profound that years later, in the saddest of moments, to be acknowledged by a family so thankful for the time you gave them with their child.

This year at our 3rd Annual Heart to Heart dinner, we honored Amy Holston. When I invited her to this year's dinner as our guest of honor she was shocked. In true humble nurse fashion, she told me she was just doing her job. But, by just doing her job, she saved our Godson's life and gave us precious memories and time we may have never had without her assessment and intervention.