AfriPulse
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Wynola Wayne bid farewell to her nursing career after nearly six decades, it was far more than just an ordinary retirement. The departure felt like a tribute to a dedicated individual who consistently went above and beyond in caring for her patients.
It all started in 1965 when a young Marco Houpe, only 15 months old, was at his grandmother’s house which was engulfed in flames from a Christmas tree fire. Tragically, Marco suffered third-degree burns covering 85% of his tiny body.
“I actually died twice on the way to the hospital,” Houpe shared. “No one thought I’d pull through. When the firefighters found me, a toy was still fused to my left hand from the heat.”
Houpe ended up at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where a novice nurse was learning the ropes in the burn unit. This newcomer was Wynola Wayne, just starting her long career.
“With Marco, there was this undeniable bond,” Wayne reminisced. “Despite the severity of his burns, I told him, ‘You will pull through.’ I could see the determination in his eyes.”
“My parents used to tell me about this nurse. In the morning, she was there. In the evening, she was there. At night, she was there,” Houpe said.
When asked if his parents credited this nurse with saving his life, Houpe said, “Yep, absolutely” — and he has come to believe the same.
“If it wasn’t for her then, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said.
Where he is today is married to his wife Tiffany for 12 years. They have two children, and Houpe has a good job as a school administrator and coach.
None of that surprises Wayne, who was so impressed by the will of that little boy that she named her own son after him. Likewise, Houpe was so impressed with Wayne’s compassion that he calls her his guardian angel.
“She fought for me while I didn’t know how to fight. She would not give up,” he said.
After a five-minute standing ovation at her retirement sendoff, Houpe escorted Wayne out of the building. And although she is now retired as a nurse, Marco says she will always retain her other title: “You’re an angel. You’re an angel.”
Source: NewsFinale | Read the Full Story…
