Stranger feels lucky - even in miserable circumstances
Young hospital volunteer stops to offer kindness and comfort
This story came from the daughter of a patient at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center-RiverBend in Springfield, Oregon. She shared a memorable chance encounter
“With pleasure I write a compliment about a University of Oregon (UO) student and PeaceHealth volunteer who recently showed me, a complete stranger, great kindness and integrity,” she wrote.
“I spent more than a month of long days (and nights) at RiverBend attending to my father,” she went on to say. One evening in March, she left the hospital parking garage, followed by Kim, who had just gotten off his weekly shift as a volunteer at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart-RiverBend.
Two blocks from the hospital, she was broadsided by someone who ran a red light. Her car spun 180-degrees into the middle of the intersection.
Kim witnessed the accident and immediately pulled over, checking first on the other driver and then on her, when she was able to get out of traffic.
It was dark, windy and raining, she said, so Kim “ran back to his car for an umbrella, which he held over me the entire time while I made all the necessary calls and filled out paperwork.”
He waited to give his name and witness information to the police. “Further, he stayed with me until the tow truck came for my car and he was sure I had a ride home,” she wrote.
“Nathan’s kindness, concern and calm demeanor were invaluable to me during this very difficult event and I feel extremely lucky to have met him, even under the miserable circumstances.”
Her letter closed with the following: “You are fortunate to have such a fine person as your volunteer.”
Kim, a Eugene-area native and sophomore at UO, was just happy to be in a position to help.
And helping is in his nature. He enjoys working on the orthopedics floor at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart-RiverBend every Saturday afternoon.
He says, “I love taking the time to help make the nurses' jobs a little easier. Every time I volunteer, there is always something new and exciting to the experience, whether it’s interacting with the nurses or helping the patients fill out their meal tickets.”
“Volunteering at PeaceHealth makes me feel that I am appreciated and welcome,” he adds.
It might be no surprise that Kim aims to work in the healthcare field. He’s majoring in human physiology with a minor in sociology with hopes to apply to dental school after he graduates.
