NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Bon Secours Mercy Health is closing DePaul Medical Center and moving all acute care and emergency services to Maryview Medical Center.
Thursday marked the last day for elective surgeries.
As the hospital closes down, the DePaul Medical Staff had a $291,000 problem. What to do with $291,000 leftover in medical staff funds?
President of the DePaul Medical Staff Dr. Stuart Goldwag had $291,000 in medical staff funds that could go back to the doctors as DePaul is closing down.
However, that didn’t sit right with the doctors or with Dr. Goldwag.
“It is like a family here. I love the people here, and I’ve been here for 20 years.”
So unbeknownst to 290 staff members, they were about to get a big surprise.
They doctors gave the 290-support staff $500 each. That accounted for $147,500 of the $291,000.
The doctors then mailed the checks and a letter of thanks signed by all the doctors to staff members like 45-year DePaul employee Vickie Henzel.
“We have noticed your extraordinary effort during this time of transition. It has been a pleasure working beside you all these years, and we want to thank you for everything you have done,” Henzel read the letter to 10 On Your Side.
“My $500 went to bills which came right on time,” she said with a laugh.
Dr. David Kay who is Director of Anesthesiology told us,
“One girl told me today ‘thanks Dr. Kay, you paid for our zipline trip’ and that’s good in these times. People need some diversions and to get a chance to get back to a normal life,” said Director of Anesthesiology, Dr. David Kay.
“They could have done anything with those funds, and they magnanimously thought of us. It was just wonderful,” Henzel added.
But the doctors’ good deeds don’t end there. They then took the remaining $144,000 and sent that to five charities that serve people impacted by COVID-19.
“This was so unexpected,” Seton Youth Services Executive Director Jen Sieracki said.
Seton Youth Shelters is a safe place for kids, and one of those charities getting generosity from the doctors.
Sieracki remembers the call from her knee doctor.
“I thought there was something with my knees that was wrong, but everything was right. My doctor called me and said I was one of the recipients, and we (Seton Youth Services) were getting $25,000 dollars, and I almost passed out.”
Dr. Goldwag summed it up this way, “you can really impact someone financially with a gift out of the blue that they wouldn’t have expected. I think everyone felt good about it.”
The DePaul Medical Center is closing down next Wednesday, but as we saw, people are leaving with a great spirit of goodwill remembering this great institution. The show of great generosity when people were walking out the door to show heartfelt appreciation.
