Her life long dream to be an ER nurse has come true while looking out for her neighbors.
Marie Snyder is an Emergency Room nurse at St Joseph Hospital in Ft Wayne graduated from Trinity High School in 2007 attended college at College Lenoir-Rhyne University, UNC-Greensboro, Brown Mackie College with an Associate Degree in Nursing.
Marie a Fort Wayne native has three siblings Jerry (30), Paul (26), and Becky (25) and her mother is Gladys Carter.
Marie enjoys soccer and while getting her education she participated in, French Club, Student Ambassadors, President of the Student Nurse Committee
What inspired you
I have wanted to be a nurse my entire life, ER especially. As a child, my favorite show I would wait up for every week was ER. I loved the idea of excitement of something new continually rolling in. I would have never guessed that I would be fortunate enough to not only fulfill my dreams but have the opportunity of doing so blocks from my childhood home where my dreams began. I have had so many people throughout my life inspire me. My grandmother was a big inspiration and the reason I began a healthcare career in Indiana. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease in the end of her life and was fortunate enough to have family care for her until nearly the end. When care became more than what family could provide she spent the last few weeks of her life at the nursing home I have been employed at for the past 8 years and had the opportunity for caring for friends of my grandparents during my employment. Prior to moving home to pursue better opportunities for my children, I had a manager at the restaurant I worked at push me to go into home health to work with her grandson. Without her encouragement, I would not have taken the dive into healthcare. One of the most inspiring individuals I have ever had the pleasure of calling my best friend was a beautiful soul who would give anything to help others while battling kidney failure as a teenager and young adult. I would give anything to tell her what I have accomplished and how much she is to thank for my success.
Share a memory or story
St Joe has stories of being haunted. It’s an old building with a few creepy eerie spots hidden within the building. Never have I been someone to believe in ghosts. My first Christmas Eve at St Joe made all of my beliefs fly out of the window temporarily. The ER was slow and nearly everyone had been sent home early. I was one of the few remaining day shift nurses left when I transported a patient to the med-surg floor in a wheelchair with his belongings and his spouse. I gave report and pushed the empty wheelchair back to the elevator to ride the 5 floors back to ER by myself. Between the 4th and 3rd floors I heard a women’s voice which sounded as if it were in the elevator beside me, very loud and clear. The voice was saying I cant get out of here. If I cant get out I’m going to make everyone pay. The female voice was very angry and consistently seemed to be right beside me. When I reached the first floor the voice was gone. I thought I was I’m desperate need of a psych evaluation. I exited the elevator and began to walk away trying to figure out how to get sent home because clearly I was delusional. As I took a few steps I heard the voice again making threats. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned toward the elevator. I debated whether I push the button to see if the opposite opened and an actual human was on the elevator or run for my life. I slowly walked to the elevator, breaking a sweat and my hands shaking, and slowly pushed the button. Immediately the elevator opened and a visitor was in the staff only elevator that requires a badge to access the first floor. I have never been so relieved in my life. Part of me still thinks the hospital is haunted.
Looking back I would have,
Everything I have done in my life has lead me to where I am today. There is nothing I would undo or do differently. I may not have taken an easy path throughout my personal or professional career, but any changes would affect who and what I have now. It is best to not focus on the past and what should have been different, but to focus on what will be different and better in the future.
Marie resides in Huntington with her three kids, Fionna 13, Zachary 11, Hunter 11 and her future plans include, traveling, making memories, enjoying the life I have in all aspects. It is my goal to be a travel nurse in 8 years when my children are grown and on their own.
Thank you for being on the front lines
and keeping us safe