Plattsburgh, NY – When Jessica Furnia’s father, Ricky Taylor, was unexpectedly admitted to University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, her world shifted in an instant. The man who was her best friend and grandfather to her two children was dying. In that moment of heartbreak, Furnia says a nurse brought grace and love to her father’s passing.

“I’ve worked in skilled nursing and end-of-life care,” Furnia shares. “I’ve met many amazing professionals through my work with NAMI-CV and the hospital. But I’ve never met anyone quite like Walter Rooks.”

Rooks introduced himself to Furnia, her mother, and even to Taylor, who was no longer responsive. He quietly bowed his head beside Furnia’s father, recognizing the sacredness of the moment. He spoke gently to Taylor, explaining each step of care, even though Taylor couldn’t respond.

“He talked to my dad like he was still fully there,” Furnia recalls. “He made sure every movement, every adjustment, was done with care and dignity.”

Rooks advocated for frequent comfort checks and medication to ease Taylor’s passing. He carefully positioned him with the help of assistants, adjusting blankets and pillows to ensure he was truly comfortable. And when Furnia’s mother had to step away, Rooks offered words of peace.

“Walter rubbed my dad’s arm and said, ‘Ricky, Claudia went home. She is safe. Your daughter is here. You are okay. You are loved.’ That moment will stay with me forever,” she says.

Furnia adds that Rooks stayed well past the end of his shift, continuing to check on her and speak to her father with warmth and love. At one point, Taylor smiled, something Furnia admits she hadn’t seen in days.

“That smile meant everything to me,” she says. “Walter made such a traumatic experience a peaceful one. I felt heard. My father was respected and cared for far beyond the call of duty.”

Walter’s impact was so profound that Furnia insisted he be mentioned in her father’s obituary. “Now when I talk about my dad’s passing, I talk about Walter,” she says.

She also nominated Rooks for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at the hospital. He received the honor during a surprise ceremony with his colleagues. During the award presentation, Rooks was presented with a certificate commending him as an extraordinary nurse. He, like all honorees, also received a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-cared by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital launched the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in 2018 to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and online at UVMHealth.org. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues.  A committee reviews nominations and awards a deserving nurse each quarter.

The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System). The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. More information is available at DAISYfoundation.org.

University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
75 Beekman Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

###

About Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital

University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is a 300-bed level III trauma center trusted by 87,000 people across New York’s North Country. Our staff are committed to delivering care with skill, compassion and respect — supporting patients, families and the communities we call home. As part of a rural academic health system, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital combines high-quality, community-based care with medical innovation and research to bring advanced treatment as close to home as possible. Together, we’re addressing health care’s toughest challenges while working alongside partners and neighbors to improve access, affordability and outcomes for our region.

About University of Vermont Health 

University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.