Michael Lora woke up on the morning of July 7, 2019 not knowing later that day he would be fighting for his life. He started to get a headache mid-day. His wife Melissa suggested they order some food. He said he wasn’t hungry and went to lay down. As the day went on, Michael was feeling confused and experiencing delirium. Having been married to Michael for 28 years, Melissa knew something was not right. Within hours, Michael was being transported by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Care Center. He was immediately greeted by a team of nurses and doctors, including Dr. Peter Smethurst, who recommended some immediate antibiotics which ended up saving his life. 

Michael was diagnosed with meningitis in his brain and sepsis. The prognosis was not good and doctors told Melissa that if he had come in even a half hour later, he may not have made it. Melissa would come to visit Michael each day and the hospital became a second home, the nurses and doctors her friends. There were many days the doctors and nurses feared the worse but Michael was a fighter. He improved day by day and spent a total of fourteen days in St. Joseph Hospital MICU.  

After Michael was home and recovered, he and Melissa talked about their interest in giving after receiving the gift of a lifesaving experience through the excellent care and treatment from St. Joseph Hospital. They announced a major gift to support the St. Joseph Hospital MICU Nurses. These funds will be used to prepare bedside MICU nurses to develop and implement improvement projects that directly impact patient care outcomes, patient experience, and safety.  The Loras came to speak to the nurses and doctors months later to share Michael’s story and thank them in person for saving his life. Michael feels like he recovered for a reason and now more than ever, is living life to the fullest with his incredibly supportive wife Melissa and their two golden retrievers: Thor and Easy.