What started as a blissful summer day last year watching his
grandsons play football suddenly turned into a life-or-death situation for Kenneth Wilson when
he collapsed on the sidelines and suffered a heart attack.

When Molly Howell and Tori Corbell, trained intensive care unit nurses at CHRISTUS St.
Michael, saw the events unfolding nearby, they did not hesitate.
Through their coordinated efforts, which included chest compressions and three shocks from a
defibrillator, they stabilized Wilson until EMS arrived.

“When Tori and I signed our sons up for flag football in July, I now know God had a reason for
us to be at that football field on Aug. 15,” Howell said.

As CHRISTUS Health celebrates National Nurses Week May 6-12, a campaign that honors
incredible nurses who embody the spirit of compassion and care in every health care setting, we
also recognize the efforts of Howell and Corbell. They are two of the thousands of trained nurses
who provide lifesaving, compassionate care for patients across the CHRISTUS Health system.
“There are not enough words in the dictionary to express how important the nursing profession is
to health care,” said Micah Johnson, chief nursing officer for CHRISTUS St. Michael Health
System “Our nurses and other health care professionals have risen to the challenges of the last
years with dedication and selflessness while meeting adversity head on.”
All nurses complete a rigorous program of extensive education and study, and work directly with
patients, families and communities to provide compassionate and exceptional care.

In the United States today, nursing roles can be divided into three categories by the specific
responsibilities they undertake: Registered Nurses, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses.
No matter the role or specialty, all nurses are charged to deliver the very best in patient care
through five steps: Assessment, diagnosis, outcomes, implementation, and evaluation.
There are more than 3 million registered nurses in the United States today, according to the
federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For Wilson, who has fully recovered from his heart attack and is back to enjoying playing with
his grandchildren, two of those 3 million are the reason he lives today,
“Simply put, Molly and Tori are angels,” he said. “The Good Lord knows best, and He had them
right where they needed to be to save my life. They knew exactly what to do and started heart
compressions immediately. Their skill and quick actions kept me alive. They are my friends for
life.”