Light on Your Darkest Day
The Darkness
Whether it is about themselves, a child, a parent or another loved one, the memory of the experience seems both crystal clear and like a foggy dream. No one ever hopes to see a day that they, or someone they love, is rushed through the doors of the emergency department. The possibility is uncomfortable to think about, but if we should ever be faced with it, we want to know someone capable and caring is in our corner.
Uvalde Memorial Hospital emergency nurses reflect on their darkest day, May 24, 2022, and how they find the light:
Courtney Carter: “Catastrophic and just utterly devastating.”
Aaron Moore: “I think pain, everywhere.”
Amanda Moore: “Tragedy. Waiting, not knowing, but it’s going to be bad no matter what it is.”
Aaron Moore: “I’ve had many talks with big strong men like myself, but we’re what would get each other through the day… Your friends are your friends. Use them and be each other’s light.”
The Light
We often hear stories of special individuals who were helpful during a dark time. There was someone who provided not only exceptional care but also supplied the necessary emotional support for that moment—holding a hand, bringing an extra blanket or just listening and reminding us we are not alone.
We may not remember the name of that person who helped us through, but we do remember how brightly that person’s light shone. We remember it was an emergency nurse that got us through the darkness.
Collin Walker on becoming an emergency nurse: “I think that’s what I want to do. I want to help people in their worst moments."
Collin Walker on being a musician: “The music—at this point it’s super important to me … I want to share it because I want people to know they’re not alone. There is a light at the end of that tunnel, and I think music is a great way to help people remember it.”
The Appreciation
Light on Your Darkest Day seeks to raise awareness beyond the health care community and the specialty to share powerful, relatable stories that honor emergency nurses and resonate worldwide. Launched at Emergency Nursing 2024 in Las Vegas, this initiative touched more than 4,000 emergency nurses, but that was only the beginning on this journey to spotlight stories from those whose lives were forever changed by an emergency nurse—their light on the darkest days.
Andrea Dalzell on her becoming a light: “Nurses, trust your own magic. To all the nurses that I’ve had, I say thank you … I’m able to say that I am one of you and I’m able to give that magic back to those who are at their most vulnerable.”
Share Your Dark-to-Light Story
Share your dark-to-light story with ENA to shine a light on the amazing care provided by emergency nurses. If you have a story to share, click the form to submit it for consideration.
Support Emergency Nurses
Give back with a donation to the ENA Foundation.
Say Thank You
Leave a thoughtful thank you for the emergency nurse who was a light on your darkest day.