Sarah McCloskey and Mia Stephens
In a hospital, you meet so many people, from patients and caregivers to doctors and support staff. For some members of her team at VCU Health, a brief moment in the hallway or while grabbing a bite to eat was the moment they passed the person they fell in love with.
This Valentine's Day, VCU Health News wants to share love with sweet stories of couples who work in the health system or who met on the medical campus.
ivory and tammy
Ivory and Tammy Richardson try to eat lunch together whenever possible. The couple works at her VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. (Posted photo)
Ivory and Tammy Richardson met in church as children and now both work at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. Ivory, the hospital's head of surgical services and labor and delivery, said she doesn't remember the exact moment she fell in love with Tammy, but that she “loved every moment” of her life with her. .
This year, the couple will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary. Tammy, a BSN, is a multimodality technician who works on ultrasound and her X-ray machine, but she can't believe how quickly time passes and she wants to “spend time with Ivory” as much as possible. . Although their schedules may be busy, the couple tries to eat lunch together at the hospital cafe or outdoors as often as possible.
“I've heard from other hospital workers, 'Oh, I couldn't bear working with my husband and seeing him!' Personally, I don't feel that way, but I'm glad we can spend time together.” I look forward to every moment,” Tammy said.
Quinn and Tim
When Quinn Rumberger and Tim Jeter are not busy caring for patients at VCU Medical Center, they love to travel together. (Posted photo)
Quinn Rumberger, RN, knew Tim Jeter, RN, was the one because of his generous heart and caring spirit, and Tim followed the man, who was not home, to lunch. I remember the moment I saw him trying to give me chicken nuggets. The couple first met while working at North Hospital on the VCU Medical Center campus in downtown Richmond.
A few years later, their relationship blossomed between classes in the Nursing Practice Program at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing. Although Quinn and Tim are always busy caring for patients, they always try to spend time together on campus.
When asked what they like about each other, Quinn said, “We're both very supportive and we love traveling and learning new things together.”
ron and deborah
Ron and Deborah Sims met near a food cart by the Gateway Building at VCU Medical Center. They are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year. (Posted photo)
The women were overjoyed when Ron introduced his new girlfriend to his mother. They were once colleagues in the same department at the hospital. Within a year, Deborah and Ron were married and soon welcomed their daughter into her VCU Health world. Deborah still works at VCU Health, and she says VCU Medical Center will continue to be a special place in her family.
“We are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year,” Deborah said. “We recently attended the MLK Walk and Celebration at VCU Health, and we stopped and kissed right where we met. For more than 50 years, VCU Health has always been committed to understanding the complexities of our lives. It has become a part of it.”
keith and karen
Keith and Karen Pryor work shifts at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital, but they try to see each other every time they work, even if it's only for a few minutes. (Posted photo)
Karen and Keith eventually arrived at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital, where their love continues to grow each day. From carpooling to having your most trusted coworkers reach out to you when you need them, the couple values working together.
Karen said Keith was a “real-life Nicholas Sparks guy” to her, and his infectious smile and warmth toward others were “a joy to witness.”
“[Keith] “Putting chocolates on your pillow when your shift is reversed will make you feel like a princess,” Karen said. “He also makes me feel respected and equal in that he trusts me to collaborate with him on other interests such as construction and renovations. In doing so, we can continue to grow and build the depth of our relationship.”
Keith says he doesn't have enough space to write down everything he likes about Karen.
“Karen has the most truly perfect heart I've ever seen and that's what captured my love for her. She thinks of everyone more than herself and goes out of her way to help someone. I’m always looking for what I can do,” Keith said. “Ironically, she calls me 'Sunshine' because she is the one who lights up my day and warms me to the core. Not only do I love being a nurse and taking care of people, but I'm so happy to share it with your best friend. ”
