One Friend, One Hero and One Kindness at a Time
It happened in the heart of James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, on a Friday morning like any other. Amid the friendly morning greetings between employees, Veterans and the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee, a tale of remarkable courage and friendship unfolds.
If you haven’t met her, you must have just started working here and haven’t found the Starbucks yet. It took me three weeks to figure out the hospital’s Starbucks my coworkers kept mentioning was not the one outside near the parking lots. And it was there, that I met Kim Ruiz, a beloved barista that has captured the hearts of the Team Tampa community with her smile and an extraordinary act of heroism.
Dressed in a simple blue shirt and apron, with her hair tucked neatly under a net, you’d never guess that Kim saved a life the morning of February 23, 2024. She exudes warmth and kindness as she expertly crafts lattes, chillers and more while engaging in friendly conversation with customers. That’s the first thing you notice about Kim. The care and thoughtfulness she puts into every interaction makes her a bright spot through the morning fog of commuting and answering emails.
But little did I know, behind that cheerful demeanor lies a quiet strength and a truly wonderful friend.
As you wait for your order, you’ll see napkins and a few pictures stuck to the divider on the counter. The words depict a courageous young woman that became an unwitting hero by quick, decisive action when emergency struck without warning.
What will really throw you is how shy and humble she is when asked about what happened the morning her coworker and close friend Lafaya Thompson suddenly felt ill and went to the back stock room to take a short break. As dizziness and shortness of breath overtook her, Lafaya pulled her phone from her pocket as beads of sweat began to pour down her face and back. She called Kim, saying faintly, “I need help.”
Clad in her signature apron and smile, Kim retells the story like it was not a big deal. She smiles, saying, “I just knew when I heard her voice that something was really wrong with her.”
When she got to the storeroom, she found Lafaya disoriented and unable to tell her clearly what was happening. Kim rushed to turn off the lights and asked loudly if there was a doctor or nurse in the line that could help. Astonishingly, although the line extended past the open seating area, there was no medical staff in sight. She went back to the storeroom to give a cup of water to Lafaya.
As Lafaya sipped and tried to compose herself, she recalls, “I don’t know what happened. My vision went blurry, and I couldn’t see anything anymore. But I knew I was falling.”
Lafaya doesn’t remember anything after that moment, but she would later find out that Kim’s presence saved her life.
“I used to work with people with special needs, and also at a daycare,” Kim shared. “You have to get a CPR certification and first aid stuff in order to be hired at those jobs.”
Thankfully, the previous training came back to her in an instant. Reflecting on the pivotal moment in the two women’s lives, she smiles while shrugging, saying, “I caught her before she hit her head on the ground, and my body just went into action. It was like I didn’t think about it. I just knew what I had to do.”
It was this quick thinking, instinctively calling a code for help before rushing back to perform CPR and talking to her friend, telling her not to give up that saved Lafaya. Emergency Services arrived after what felt like a lifetime to Kim, but she was instrumental to Lafaya’s survival. She would later find out that Lafaya had suffered a stroke and heart attack simultaneously, conditions that many do not come back from when experienced individually. Lafaya remained hospitalized at JAHVH for 2 weeks with a frequent visitor; Kim.
When asked about how having her friend’s life in her hands makes her feel months later, she shows both grace and humility.
“It’s not about being a hero to me. Lafaya is such close friend. She would stay late and help when I first started and even took me to the grocery store when I didn’t have a car. That’s my girl!”
News of Kim’s heroic actions spread quickly, resulting in the napkins and small tokens of gratitude and adulation lining the café’s partition. One person started the napkin tribute and as soon as customers noticed, they partook in recognizing the unlikely hero.
This is something I’ve noticed about the hospital’s culture after my first day, and it has remained consistent. Everyone comes together, whether it’s a time of happiness, sadness or something completely unexpected like this.
Kim agreed when I shared this observation with her.
“I love the people here, they’re amazing,” she says. “They really know how to say thank you and make you feel at home, so I do my best to do the same every day. When people come to see me, it’s a happy place, because outside of this line, there’s all this stuff going on, not just in the hospital but the whole world. You never know what’s going on in people’s lives.”
As for Lafaya, she has made a full recovery, and now works in the hospital’s Environment Management Service department.
When she shares her story, the main thing Lafaya says is that she is so grateful for Kim.
“I’m still living and breathing, and a lot of people don’t come out of something like that,” she says. “She knows how I feel about her, and I’m thankful for her every day.”