Josie Winders

When I came to work one morning I was told that today was going to be a sad day for me. I was assigned to be the bereavement nurse for a baby who was withdrawing care. This essentially means the decision has been made to take the infant off of life support. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital was engaged in a lockdown that prevented any visitors. Not only did this mean that the siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family would never get to meet the baby, it also meant that the professional photographer who typically takes photos of the child before they pass would not be able to capture the precious moments so cherished by the families. Upon learning this, my first instinct was to call Andrew. As his favorite (and only) sister-in-law, I knew I could count on him to take my call, even on a busy work-day morning. I told him about the situation and asked if there was any way we could get his professional camera to the hospital. Within 30 minutes of hanging up, I had the camera and a brand new memory card in my hands and was able to take the photos before the child passed.
Andrew impacted the lives of many on that day. His willingness to drop everything for a family he doesn’t, and will never, know is a testament to his character and selflessness. It is for these traits and many others that I know he will be an incredible father.

Jeremy is the kind of person who is willing to go the extra mile for anyone. He is without a doubt the kindest person I know. When my husband and I got married we asked Jeremy to play four songs for our wedding ceremony. This is not a small task and Jeremy did it flawlessly without any direction. He took on a huge task during a very busy time just to make our wedding day extra special.
I have also been fortunate enough to attend his middle and high school choir concerts and watch Jeremy at work. Though watching and listening to his choirs is always an incredible experience, what is even more impressive is watching how he is completely adored by his students, their parents, and his fellow faculty members. The outpouring of appreciation and support he receives is incredible and is a reflection of the kindness and care he pours into all those around him. Jeremy’s kind heart and willingness to help others is the reason he is going to be such a wonderful father.

In my time getting to know Andrew and Jeremy as my friends, role models, and now brothers I have learned that these two are different in many ways. It’s these differences tied together by their shared values of love, respect, responsibility, and attitude that make them such a strong team. Any child would be lucky to have these two as their dads and I can’t wait to watch our future children grow up together.