OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — When dealing with end-of-life issues you want someone at your bedside like RN Mary Kay Trotter, a hospice nurse with Traditions Hospice in Oklahoma City. 

“Mary Kay is a nurse with the biggest heart,” says her friend and co-worker Linda Witherspoon.   

“She helps with employers, her employees and especially the families and the patients that she serves. She is just so kind and gives and I’ve never seen that woman angry in a day. And it’s just a pleasure to be a friend with her and a co-worker.”

And Mark Kay, and hospice nurses in general, have a huge emotional and medical job to deal with when helping patients and their families through the final days of a loved ones life.  

“Quite frankly we take care of people when they are nearing the last chapter if not in the last chapter of their life,” says Dr. Linda Lucio, one of the medical directors at Traditions. “We have to educate the family while they want the best and they want comfort for their loved ones it’s still a difficult acceptance on their parts.”

Because of the passion she has for her work, Linda Witherspoon nominated Mary Kay for First Fidelity Banks and KFOR’s Pay It Forward program.   

We were given the $400 cash award from First Fidelity’s Haley Yager and then surprised Mary Kay with it at her office. 

With tears in her eyes, Mary Kay thanked everyone involved and told us why she has such dedication to being a hospice nurse.    

“I started in hospice because I absolutely love people number one. I love patients and I love taking care of everyone through this end of life,” she said. “It’s a difficult time for all these families that are going through this.”  

Then it was hugs all around from friends and co-workers in on the surprise for a special woman knows the true and eternal meaning of paying it forward.