Honoring Tanya King: Help Her Family Cope

We lost one of the backbones to our SDMC PCU/Telemetry unit this past Friday, May 24th when our ferociously compassionate charge nurse of 15 years, Tanya King, was taken from this world in a car accident. Her daughter, Tiana, who was a PCT on Neurology years ago, also passed away alongside her.

Tanya was a force to be reckoned with when it came to her patients and more importantly, her staff. While she was an incredible mother to five beautiful children of her own, she leaves behind so many more of us in the hospital. She was Mama T to us all, a wealth of knowledge, the tough love you needed in dark times, and the shoulder to cry on when the shifts were too long. She gave the best hugs, had the most gorgeous hair, and always smelled so damn good! She had a captivating energy about her that couldn't help but command presence whether it was in huddle, staff meetings, or at the bedside that will be so incredibly missed. You always felt safe when she was in charge of the unit, somehow and some way you knew she was going to fly that ship home to safety. The unit will forever feel empty without her boisterous spirit, her loud and contagious laugh, and her radiant energy. In the darkness of the pandemic, she helped so many of us grow up and grow into our nurse shoes. Whether you had to do compressions or dosage calculations, she would always be by your side, never letting one of her own fall. She fearlessly held the hands of so many patients as they slipped away from this world, showing us how to love until the last breath and beyond. It is cruel that she was taken from us so early, but she will live on in the compassion and work ethic she so easily displayed for us each day.

While our SDMC family is hurting hard from this sudden tragedy, their family will never stop grieving. May this page be a place you can offer condolences, fun stories of the two women we were honored to work alongside, and most importantly monetary support. Any and all donations will go towards helping their family through this impossible time. One of Tanya's children is currently battling cancer and while nothing replaces your mother while you go through something like that, money can offer a semblance of solace. Tanya would want us all to hug each other, to honor this too short GIFT we call life, and most importantly support the Dallas Cowboys. Be generous, advocate for those who cannot, and love boldly just like Tanya.

Link to Tanya's final resting place: https://www.newcomertoledo.com/Obituary/278104/Tanya-King/Toledo-OH