Anonymous man ‘angel’ to local family

To the Editor,

This past Christmas season, the staff of Skiff Medical Center’s Emergency Department had the opportunity to bring some holiday cheer to a family we have often cared for throughout the years. Danielle Shine, who has been a quadriplegic for almost a decade, has a dedicated fiancé, Eric James, and three wonderful children, but they face ongoing challenges not only due to her health conditions but also from being on a very limited income. We were humbled to be able to make a memorable Christmas for them and we greatly appreciate the Newton Daily News sharing this story in their Jan. 26 edition.

Right about the time Danielle’s story was published, her family was dealing with yet another obstacle. Their stackable washer and dryer unit had broken and, as anyone with children knows, laundry can pile up quickly. A repair would cost $300 and a used, good-condition replacement would be $425. Neither was a doable option for this cash-strapped family.

What happened next is nothing short of divine intervention. On Jan. 27, the day after the Newton Daily News published the article about Danielle and the Skiff ER, a man visited us at the hospital. He gave us an envelope and asked that we give it to Danielle and Eric. He said he wished to remain anonymous, but hoped that his gift would be the answer to a prayer. Eric came to pick up the envelope and inside found a check for $400 — enough to almost entirely cover the cost of replacing their broken washer and dryer.

I am so touched that this gentlemen was so moved by the story to do this for Danielle. I know God has been working through all of us involved with this to help this family. To the anonymous angel who dropped off an envelope to the ER the night of Jan. 27, thank you so much from everyone. I am so excited to share this story with you and hope it brightens up your day as much as it did mine.

Jesse Iverson, RN

Night nursing supervisor

Skiff Emergency Department