ICU nurse brings families together with teddy bears
Virginia ICU nurse will be honored by Nascar during The Real Heroes 400 for her 'Be There Bears'
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A Virginia nurse will be honored Sunday at NASCAR's "The Real Heroes 400" for her work making special teddy bears for lonely coronavirus patients.
Michaelle Vaughan, appearing Saturday on "Fox & Friends Weekend," said she's "blown away" by the overwhelming support she's received for "Be There Bears."
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Vaughn, who works in the intensive care unit at Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, said she and fellow health care workers wanted to do more to help patients "who are alone, intubated, sedated, [and] couldn't have their family near them."
"We saw this need and the hospital just took it and, you know, here we are," she said.
Vaughan and other St Mary's nurses began creating stuffed bears that include a personalized 20-second message from family members.
The nurses recorded the heartfelt messages over the phone, then transferred the audio onto a tiny device that was then sewn inside the bear.
Vaughan told the "Friends Weekend" hosts that the program boosts the spirits of the patients and their families -- and health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
"I'm so pleased that these bears have taken off as much as they have," she said. "It's been really good for us. It's been really good for the family. It's such an incredible experience to see that we're touching lives with these little bears."
Vaughan is being honored nationally for her efforts. She and other COVID-19 first responders from across the nation will give the starting command Sunday when NASCAR makes its return to the track in Darlington, S.C. Race coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
"This NASCAR thing has kind of been just like the cherry on top, because sports [are] a huge thing here in my family," Vaughan said.
The nurse said she was shocked by the honor.
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"I can't even believe that all of this is happening ... just because we wanted to bring this comfort to our patients," she added.
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