At left, Aman Shah, MD. Accepting the PEACE honor to present to Katherine Diaz's family are (l-r): Dotsy Hart, clinical technician, Verdi 5 East; Peggy O'Brien, RN, patient service manager; and Francine LoRusso, RN, executive director of nursing, Heart and Vascular Services

York Street Campus

Aman Shah, MD, Emergency Medicine resident, exhibited extraordinary care in managing a critically injured trauma patient. He was off-duty and driving on the Wilbur Cross Parkway when he saw a car go off the highway at high speed and catch fire with the driver trapped. Dr. Shah stopped to help, and with first responders, got the fire under control and the driver out. Dr. Shah and first responders cared for the patient on the scene, and he remained with the patient in the ambulance during transport to the hospital.

Saint Raphael Campus

Katherine Diaz, clinical technician, Stroke/Telemetry Unit (Verdi 5 East), was chosen for the PEACE honor posthumously. One of her young patients was depressed during a lengthy hospital stay, so when the unit manager arranged for Walter Camp football players to visit, Diaz went above and beyond. She gave the patient a "spa treatment," tidied his room and bought him some Sports Illustrated magazines the football players could autograph. The visit improved this patient's mood; he talked excitedly about football for the rest of the shift. Sadly, Diaz died in an accident two days later. Verdi 5 East staff nominated her for PEACE to recognize the impact she had had on her patients.