Edward Albert stated, “The simple act of caring is heroic.” Theresa is that hero. She has provided care to many through Firefly, and each time she goes above and beyond, showing how much of a hero she is!! – Dawn, Project Manager
Tell us a little about yourself: I’m a Taurus, and I just turned fifty-three years old this past Mother’s Day. My mother was in the Air Force, and my father was in the Army. I moved around a lot growing up. A few years ago, I found my guy. His name is Jamerson, and we’ve known each other for thirty years. We were friends for a long time, and five years ago we got back together. I’ve known him for most of my life. We’re engaged to be married, but don’t have a wedding date yet. Between trying to get the house set up, and we both work a lot, it’s been hard to pick a wedding date. Oh, and I really, really enjoy my job!
How did you come to work at Firefly? My grandmother, Rose, will be 100 years old next March. A few years ago, when she was ninety-six years old, she broke her hip, and I took care of her morning and night. Then, she broke her other hip and had to recover from that. I took care of her for eighteen months as she recovered from both broken hips. During that time, we saw each other every day and had a ball together. She’s a hilarious woman. Then, she went into a nursing home for a time, and I took a job cleaning a surgery department. After about a year of that job, I decided I wanted to do something else, and I came across the caregiver job at Firefly. The job was exactly like the things I had done for my grandma when I took care of her.
What do you do for your Firefly clients? I’ve worked full-time for Firefly for two years, and I really enjoy the people I work with. My clients and their families become like my family—we become that close. The daughter of one of my clients even calls me sister. I try to treat my clients as I would want my parents to be treated. I’ll do anything they need done, even if it isn’t on the normal list of things to do. For one of my clients, I’ll take their dog for a walk. I’ll also do the shopping and help a client bathe if needed. Really, I’ll do anything that needs to be done.
Can you share a story or two about some of your clients? One client, Michael, has a dry sense of humor. He doesn’t talk loudly, but when he says something, it’s guaranteed to be funny. He has many stories to share. Then another client—I call her Miss April—who is also a Taurus; she and her husband have been married for fifty-three years. They were married in 1972, the year I was born. When we first met each other, this was one topic we connected on—how they had been married the same number of years that I’ve been alive
What are some things you do for fun? I don’t have a lot of time for fun, but this past weekend, my fiancé and I went to the Notre Dame football game against Navy. I’m a Notre Dame fan, and typically we’ve watched the game on TV. Jamerson’s sister got us seats to the game, and we enjoyed ourselves for a couple of hours before the game. But then it started raining, and it was freezing. A short time into the game, Jamerson looked at me and said he was ready to go!
What are a few of your favorite things? My favorite colors are red and silver, and my favorite food is lobster. I love all kinds of seafood. I also love cooking. You name it, I can probably fix it, but one of my specialties is making wet burritos.
We spoke to the wife of one of Theresa’s clients, who raved about the help she provides to her husband: I was a CNA in a hospital for forty-seven years, and I know what it takes to do the job. She knows exactly what she is doing. To be successful, you need to have a love for this job, and Teresa has a special love for the work. She comes in the morning and helps my husband with a bath, shaving, and personal care, helps him get around and do exercises. She makes sure he has breakfast and takes time to talk with him. We love her dearly. She became part of the family very fast. She even loves our dog. The dog even talks to her! Theresa is 100 percent perfect.
