Nurses create makeshift baptism for terminal patient in Alabama ICU
Three ICU nurses at Huntsville Hospital arranged a bedside baptism for 74-year-old Jeannie Guffey, fulfilling her final wish before hospice care.
At Huntsville Hospital in Alabama, 74-year-old Jeannie Guffey, diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, expressed a desire to be baptized despite being in the ICU. Nurses Erin Powers, Kaitlin Swaim and Emily Owens responded by purchasing a small pool from Walgreens and improvising a hose from ventilator tubing to fill it with warm water from the room’s sink. Using the ceiling lift, they gently lowered Guffey into the water so her son Jody could baptize her while her family observed.
Daughter-in-law Carol Guffey described the moment as deeply emotional and a “total God thing.” Guffey passed away peacefully a few days after the ceremony, and her family said the experience would remain a lasting memory of the nurses’ extraordinary kindness.
Why it matters
The story highlights how healthcare workers can go beyond medical duties to honor patients' spiritual wishes.
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