With 452 confirmed cases and five deaths, Blaine County had one of the highest rates of COVID-19 in the nation by April 2020. The community was hit hard and fast by the pandemic.

Angela Brady, manager of nursing services, and her husband, Randy Hall, emergency manager for Twin Falls, Jerome and the Wood River Valley, helped lead the hospital through the unprecedented time. Together, they exemplify the heart of St. Luke’s Wood River—extremely competent, committed and humble.

These key attributes carried the day during the COVID-19 crisis and were especially noteworthy during the initial outbreak of the virus in Blaine County. With nearly one-third of St. Luke’s Wood River staff out sick, all hospital departments were called upon to help with the lifesaving work.

From cleaning rooms to ensuring the supply chain was uninterrupted, “our staff just kept saying ‘yes’ and ‘we’re up for the challenge,’” says Angela. Angela has been a dedicated St. Luke’s registered nurse for decades. Throughout her career, she has worked in many departments and capacities, currently she is the St. Luke’s Wood River Nurse Manager.

Randy adds, “Our teams risked the safety of their families and themselves to ensure that we could provide the highest level of care to a very sick community. I don’t know if you can ever thank someone for that sacrifice.”

The couple is quick to pass along their praise to others, but Angela and Randy also sacrificed significantly to ensure the community received good quality care. As key leaders, both worked tirelessly for months. Randy traveled between Wood River Valley and Twin Falls to help coordinate emergency operations. Angela worked to keep Wood River staff safe and provide the community with the highest level of care, despite the extraordinary circumstances. Further complicating matters and due to their demanding schedules, they sent their daughter Addee to live with relatives for over a month.

Challenging moments like these highlight the dedication and sacrifice of the hospital team and the importance of community support. Through it all, community members generously stepped forward with resources to support staff members, who though tired and scared, went above and beyond their job descriptions to save lives.

“I can’t tell you how much the gestures of generosity made to our employees,” Angela says. “The food, the gifts, the supplies—all of it—did so much to let the team know they were supported.”

As long-term employees of St. Luke’s Wood River and having each served in the health field for decades, Angela and Randy emphasize how rare it is for a “critical access hospital,” a hospital located at least 75 miles from any other hospital and with 25 patient beds or less, to offer such high-quality services. This expert care in large part exists because of community support.

“Our quality of life is predicated on the health care that St. Luke’s and the Foundation provide to our community,” Randy says. “As health care changes, the Foundation is right there to support us with resources and training. We may be a small hospital, but we have big hospital emergencies and the staff have to be prepared.”

The grit, competence and dedication exhibited by the entire staff during the COVID-19 crisis is a testament to the professional development, support and boost to employee morale the staff receive from community generosity.

“Our staff risked the safety of their families and themselves to ensure that we could provide the highest level of care to a very sick community. I don’t know if you can ever thank someone for that sacrifice.” Randy Hall