Recently, a heartbreaking story went viral and touched the hearts of many.
Devon Nicole Oechsle is an ER nurse fighting the coronavirus pandemic on the frontlines.
Jason, her husband, is a firefighter medic, also putting his life at great risk while helping the ones in need. Devon and Jason have a lovely three-year-old daughter named Ellie.
Unfortunately, the couple had to make one of the hardest decisions int heir life. They decided to send their little girl to live with a friend during the outbreak.
Oechsle posted their story on Facebook, explaining why they had to leave Ellie for a while. Many people showed their incredible support for her family, while others disapproved of their radical decision.
Posted by Devon Nicole Oechsle on Friday, January 11, 2019
The ER frontline nurse writes in the post:
“This is my current situation. Jason and I just had to have a very hard conversation to send Ellie away tonight for maybe a month… to stay with my amazing friend Anita, who did not even hesitate to keep her for us. And Ellie loves “Miss Nita.””
Along with the touching story, Devon attached a teary picture of herself. She adds:
“This is the face of someone who feels punished for trying to be the “good guy.” My job as an ER nurse is just that, my job, I don’t ever feel like it’s anything crazy or special or deserving of accolades. Jason feels the same way as a ff/medic.”
This is my current situation.Jason and I just had to have a very hard conversation to send Ellie away tonight for…
Posted by Devon Nicole Oechsle on Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Furthermore, the mother of one explains that hers and her husband’s job are extremely important due to the current situation. She adds that their work carries a high risk of being infected or spreading the virus. The nurse admits she was already in contact with coronavirus patients, and the last thing she and Jason want is to have their little girl surrounded by the potential virus they could carry home. She continues:
“So, I feel punished for having to be the ‘good guy.’ I have to send my 3.5-year-old child away. I won’t get to visit her. I won’t get to hug her. I won’t get to tuck her in at night. We have FaceTime, and that’s it. For up to a month, or who knows how long…and many of my coworkers have had to do the same.”
Oechsle believes it’s a true blessing for parents out there who have the opportunity to stay home with their children.
She asks everyone to stay home because the sooner the pandemic is over, the quicker her little princess will be back home.
Posted by Devon Nicole Oechsle on Friday, November 1, 2019
Since Devon’s post went viral in no time, along with the supportive comments, there were some quite insulting ones, questioning her maternal instincts. Some people commented on their decision to choose their jobs over looking after their child. These comments broke the ER nurse’s heart. She felt the need to explain herself in a recent edit to the post:
“Since this has gone viral somehow, let me just set one thing straight. Don’t you DARE come at me for “getting rid of my child” and saying “you made a choice, there were other options” and “no job is worth sending my kid to a stranger to raise”
1. Sure would be a crappy day for you if all the staff in your ER weren’t there because they all quit their jobs to stay at home with their kids
2. Tell me what other options I had since you are so in my shoes?
3. She is 15min down the road, staying with someone she loves and who loves her. We didn’t just wake up and decide to leave her with a stranger!
All the keyboard warriors can just sit down.”
Currently, healthcare workers all around the world are struggling to keep the lives of COVID-19 patients.
While they are putting their own lives at risk, some of them have decided to live away from their families to protect them while the pandemic ends. Devon and Jason’s decision to send Ellie to live with a close friend for a month was the best thing they could do for their daughter.
