Lucrecia Garcia, cook
Methodist Dallas Medical Center/Aramark Healthcare+
Nominator: Vicki Donahue, food service director, Aramark Healthcare+
“Lucrecia has worked at Methodist Dallas for nine years. During this time her primary roles have been cook and hostess. She currently works FT as a cook and picks up hostess shifts in the evening or on the weekends when we are short staffed. She has always had a servant heart for patients, which is why she always helped in that area when she could.
On Saturday October 22, 2022, Lucrecia volunteered to pick up an a.m. shift as a hostess. She showed up in her spotless, ironed uniform with her joyful smile that always cheered the rest of the team up. She received her assigned floors from the AM supervisor, but what no one knew was that this day would change Methodist Dallas and the employees forever.
Lucrecia was delivering the mother baby floor for lunch. This was the day the active shooter shot and killed two nurses at Methodist Dallas Medical Center on the mother baby floor. Lucrecia was on the floor during the shooting and was two rooms down, delivering lunch to a mother. Lucrecia witnessed this horrendous act of violence that no one should ever have to witness in their life.
Thankful for all the resources Aramark and Methodist Dallas had available for Lucrecia to support her physical and mental health after this tragedy, she decided to return to work. We never expected her to return, but as she told us, her heart is with the patients. She continues to work full time and run circles around all of us day in and day out. She has even begun to pick up hostess shifts again when she is able. Lucrecia has a true servant heart and is a loyal and dedicated team member that is rare to find any more. Her dedication and work ethic is unlike any one you will ever meet.”