Who:
Courtney Smith, registered nurse, at WellSpan York Hospital
What:
It was supposed to be just another day in the hospital — but for one elderly patient, it was also his birthday. Alone in his room, without visitors, the day felt heavy. Nurses noticed his sadness and unmistakable look of someone who felt forgotten.
That’s when Courtney, a nurse known for her compassion, decided to do something special. She went down to the cafeteria and found a slice of cake. Then, she gathered a few teammates and shared his story. Without hesitation, they all joined her.
Together, they walked into his room, greeted him warmly, placed the small slice of cake on his lunch tray and began to sing “Happy Birthday.”
“As soon as we started singing, his eyes opened and he gave a crooked yet bright smile,” Courtney said. “I never saw him smile until this very moment – it was like we’d given him a little piece of celebration and connection on his special day.”
Words to live by:
Courtney reflected, “Something I always think about is that if everyone did one random act of kindness daily, the world would shine so much brighter.”
