FORT WORTH, Texas — Mark Van Wart has been a nurse for 17 years, and is now an ICU manager. He has spent his entire career in the intensive care unit at Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth.
His team has seen a lot of COVID-19 patients.
"My unit gets the very, very, very sick ones," said Van Wart.
His hospital is one of the busiest in Texas, and among the first in the country to perform a plasma transfusion to treat a seriously ill COVID patient.
He has seen cases with good and bad outcomes, but said the feeling of seeing someone recover is special.
"There is nothing more rewarding than when you get to see a breathing tube come out from somebody's airway when you've been watching and hoping that your efforts made a difference," he said.
Van Wart said the community has been generous. Donations and meals have been pouring in.
He even found out one of his favorite country music artists, Pat Green, chose Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth to donate meals to. Green is a spokesperson for Cracker Barrel's campaign to provide food for healthcare workers.
During Van Wart's interview with WFAA on Monday, Green joined the video call to surprise the nurse.
"When I get sick and go to the ICU, you're the guy I want to see smiling back at me," said Green.
He played a song for Van Wart, one of his favorites, called "Take Me Out To The Dance Hall." Van Wart sang along with Green, nodding his head to the beat of the song.
"I'm floored. Thank you so much," said Van Wart.
You could tell he was smiling, even through his mask.
More Reasons to Smile:
- WFAA's Kevin Reece thanks his little sister, and Texas nurses for their heroism in fight against coronavirus
- Daughter of nurse paints rocks to show appreciation for healthcare workers
- This Lewisville 11-year-old posts motivational videos encouraging kids to pursue their dreams
- Hope through song: How one man is helping senior facilities move forward by singing songs that take us back
- Driveway math: teacher goes the extra mile for socially distanced geometry lesson