We first met Kendall Acklin in the delivery room. She actually helped with the care of our other son, R, who passed about 2 hours after he was born due to Trisomy 13. After the birth of O, I asked that she would be his nurse anytime Kendall was working, and as the days went on, it blew me away how much Kendall got to know O and how much she cared about him.

Each day that we had Kendall was a good day. Seriously, even down to the end. O knew he could count on Kendall and when things started to happen, he grabbed onto her finger and wouldn't let go until it was all done. Kendall stood by his side during the scary moments and made sure he was top priority.

On O’s last day Kendall was his nurse. I noticed the change first. I'm told Mom always does. But Kendall is the one who got the team into action. Kendall was the one that helped him. As I was holding my son in his last moments Kendall was the nurse there. It was always Kendall.

I know that losing my son was not the outcome we wanted, but we could not have asked for a better nurse to be by his side in his last hours. We could not ask for a more caring nurse -- who cried with us. Who has supported us even after we left the NICU and messaged me to find out how my husband and I were doing. She has cared for us, for our family, as a whole.

Thank you, Kendall, for your willingness to go above and beyond your call of duty.