Special to The Scene from
STLCC marketing and communications
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the lives of Americans for the foreseeable future, Richelle Herron has a renewed sense of purpose.
The 38-year-old will graduate with an associate’s degree in nursing from St. Louis Community College in May, despite the fact that her life was turned upside down in mid-March, when her family was attacked by COVID-19.
The respiratory disease claimed the life of her beloved grandmother, Josie Lee Everett. Herron, her husband, Carl, and her mother, Carolyn Wallace, were all infected and required hospitalization. They have been discharged and continue to recover.
The death of Everett, herself a nurse for 50 years, has been particularly painful.
“I deal with grief on a daily basis because my grandmother and I were closer than close,” said Herron, a student on the Florissant Valley campus. “She was my grandmother, sister, best friend, mentor, everything. She raised me when I was a newborn while my mother was in the military.
“We have a bond that death cannot break, but it is indescribably difficult to be outside of her presence right now, especially with my completion of school. I wanted her to be the one to pin me at our pinning ceremony. Not only is that impossible now, but there will not be a pinning due to the social-distancing issues.”
Herron credits her faith, resolve to excel in whatever she commits herself to do and a strong sense of purpose in leadership as elements that push her through this emotional and physical storm.
“Nursing is in my DNA,” said Herron, whose mother also has been a nurse for more than 25 years. “I am a caring, nurturing and intuitive person. I have a background in customer service, but I’ve always been interested in helping and understanding others, medicine and how to best make an impact on the world that will last when I leave.”
With graduation on the horizon, Herron is well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
“Having been a COVID-19 patient, experiencing the fear of the unknown, the psychological toll of isolation and the pain of familial loss from this pandemic, I know that the health care professionals – but mainly the nurses who took care of me and my family – made and continue to make the difference,” she said.
“Personally, nurses were my point of contact. They had the most personal contact with me, gave me medicine, brought me my food, and helped me move around my room when I was too weak to do those things on my own.”
Why become a nurse?
Herron serves as president of the Florissant Valley Student Nurses Association. While recovering from COVID-19 and continuing her studies, she shared insights with fellow students in a very personal letter. It was later published in a Missouri Board of Nursing newsletter distributed to all licensed nurses in the state.
Following are some excerpts:
“Why become a nurse? There are as many reasons why people do things as there are people walking on this Earth. And times such as these are necessary to separate the pretenders from contenders.
“This is a time of self-inventory and fortified resolve. If there was ever a time for dedicated, fire-tested nurses with a heart to make a difference, this is IT. WE ARE THOSE NURSES!!
“We’ve BEEN doing this. We’ve taken care of patients with HIV, MRSA, cancer, post-operative, and other precautions. We’ve been the liaison between our patients healing and the challenges they face! We’ve been there when life enters the world and we’ve comforted those who are transitioning! FLO VALLEY NURSES ARE TRAINED to RESPOND IN times such as THESE!!
“My whole purpose for writing this is to say that WE ARE NEEDED!! Now more than ever, our technical and theoretical skills, along with our COMPASSION, are needed in every aspect of the health care delivery system. Hands and hearts that have experienced the FULLNESS of life and are willing to share their knowledge to make this world and situation better!
“I have always been proud to be a part of the nursing program here at Florissant Valley, but the heart and soul of any program or organization is its people, and your hearts are as genuine as they come. I thank God for each of you and I continue to pray for your health and safety during this time.”
Joining the fight
Karen Mayes, a nursing professor who serves as STLCC’s director of nursing education, said she knew Herron had a heart for making a difference from the first time the two met.
“She genuinely wants to help others, whether it be through her service as the Florissant Valley Student Nurse Association president, her many communications of support to the students and through heart-to-heart thoughtful conversations with faculty and administrators on how to improve the educational process,” Mayes said. “Her intellect, wisdom, smile and enthusiasm provide motivation to those around her. Now, as someone who has survived being a COVID-19 patient, she will have a new outlook and be better able to provide empathetic care to her patients as she soon enters the nursing profession.”
Herron, who lives in Spanish Lake, will join the staff of Mercy Hospital St. Louis after graduation and celebrate her 11th wedding anniversary on July 4. She is ready to embark on a mission to defeat not only this pandemic, but also whatever challenges are thrown at her profession in the future.
“I hear a lot of people say that nursing is a job that they admire, but they just don’t have the stomach or the nerves for,” Herron said. “They ask why anyone would willingly jump into such a dangerous and sometimes ‘thankless’ profession. I am eagerly anticipating the completion of our degree so that we can all get out there and join this fight. It is truly one that we have been trained for and one that we can win.”