CLEARWATER, Fla. — It takes a special person to be there to help comfort a person who is dying. Crisis Care nurses do this every day. Not only do they provide this crucial care, but they offer comfort and reassurance to friends and family.
Raymond Kruse is a humble man who truly loves what he does. "It boils down to caring for a person, making sure that they're taken care of like you'd want your parents taken care of."
He's been a crisis care nurse with Suncoast Hospice for 2 and a half years.
Sarah Travis is the Senior Staff Nurse. "He not only cares for the patients, but he cares for the family and everyone else that's around him in the home at the time."
Raymond takes it even further, making sure patients who are veterans are honored properly after they pass. "Most funeral home transporters have flags, but I ran into one that didn't have one, so instantly I started carrying them."
Raymond always has a flag on hand ready to honor those who fought for our freedom.
Sarah was touched to find out Raymond did this.
"I wasn't even aware. I don't think most people on our team were aware that he did this. So it's just something that he quietly did on his own just to honor those veterans at the end of their life."
For Raymond, it's personal. "I've got 5 brothers that were in the service before me, all of them were drafted, mine came after the draft, so mine was volunteer. It's in my heart. I just feel that. I love the veterans. They're close to me, they're dear to me."
And he's always ready to honor a life, after death.