In 1980, I began my career at Wood River Township Hospital as a CNA. During my midnight shifts, I had the privilege of working with an incredible RN who one night told me I should pursue nursing. Her words stuck with me, as I had always been curious about the field. In 1983, I enrolled in Deaconess College of Nursing, and by 1986, I had graduated. I continued working the midnight shift at Deaconess, in the Level 2 nursery. After a frightening incident where I fell asleep at the wheel and hit a guardrail, I realized I needed to make a change. That same year, I applied for my Illinois nursing license and kept licensure in both Illinois and Missouri for many years. During my career, I lost a beloved head nurse. She had six close friends serve as honorary pallbearers at her funeral, but I always felt more could have been done to honor her remarkable nursing career. Years later, I had the chance to work alongside Linda George as an election judge. She told me about the Nurse Honor Guard and showed me a short video, and I knew instantly I had found what I had been looking for. It was exactly what should have been done for Tina.