When my Dad was crushed by a tree and arrived via helicopter at Roanoke Memorial it was Derrick who was with my Dad from the start and it was because of his skill and insight (though it’s doubtful that my Dad will ever remember) that our ICU experience while scary, allowed Dad a far calmer and safer experience in the hours and early days after his accident. Derrick was the one who realized my Dad's desperate motioning was actually his foley catheter causing him pain when he was intubated and he could not speak. Derrick was the one who kept checking on his weight to see if he was taking on more fluid than he perhaps should have been (which he was.) Derrick was the one who sought out alternatives when my Father couldn't keep anything down from nausea and Derrick managed his pain promptly when it would have been otherwise unbearable despite a crazy schedule in the ICU. Derrick stayed late every day at shifts end to make sure that Dad as well as his other patients were well cared for. While my Dad was at rest he would walk me through what to expect and how to understand my father's treatment plan including medications and blood work. Derrick taught me how to be an advocate for my father when he could not speak or comprehend what was happening to him. It is without a doubt that the quality of care my father received from Derrick was second to none and I am confident that without Derrick as his nurse during such a traumatic time that my father's outcome would not be as hopeful as it stands today. I cannot thank him enough for his dedication, professionalism, and empathy as an ICU Nurse.