Temple University Hospital nurse to be honored at NASCAR

PHILADELPHIA - A Temple University Hospital nurse will be honored this weekend at NASCAR for the work she does each and every day on the frontline of COVID-19. 

Shirley Gardiner, a critical care float nurse, has spent two decades helping take care of intensive care patients at Temple University Hospital.

“The best thing is definitely seeing your sickest patient walk out of there that is definitely pretty rewarding, Shirley told FOX 29. 

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It’s something that she loves and views as her responsibility. So when the coronavirus pandemic hit and they needed the additional staff, she volunteered to work in that area.

“Knowing how critical a lot of those patients were, I felt like it would be a disservice not to go in and give a helping hand," she said. 

Talking to the first responders like Shirley is eye-opening. They describe what to many would be avoid-at-all cost situations as just a normal part of their day-to-day, like unknowingly being exposed to a coronavirus positive patient very early on.

“It was pretty scary because I have two small children. I have a husband and I had to quarantine myself," she added.

But what likely led to Shirley being nominated as a hero how she responds by getting back on the frontlines as soon as she is medically cleared.

"I’m a pretty knowledgeable nurse. I have a lot of information to share and provide, I can’t stay home, I need to be there.”

She clearly recognizes her ability to help others but a conversation she recently had with a firefighter again shows the humility of those on the front lines.“When you go into a burning building, you go in there, risking your life to save strangers. He was like if we don’t go in there to get them out, how are they gonna get out of there? That’s how I feel. If we don’t come in here to take care of the patients, how will they get out of there?”

Shirley doesn’t think she’s a hero but NASCAR does. She’ll be among those honored this weekend during the race. Shirley will be an honorary grand marshal at this weekend's race. She was stunned and appreciative, but like most of these heroes, she was humble.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m a hero. It just feels like what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years," Shirley said.

”That might be true, but to the NASCAR community and the numerous patients, they can only say thank you for being a hero — for goodness sake.

We want to hear from you. Tell us about a hero you know using the hashtag #FOX29Heroes or #ForGoodnesSake.

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