Nurse who saved boy’s life gets emotional retirement send-off after 58 years

Wynola Wayne walked out of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus for the last time after 58 years as a nurse, ending a career that began in the burn unit as a brand-new trainee. The retirement send-off turned into a reunion with Marco Houpe, the former patient Wayne helped save, who escorted her out of the building after a five-minute standing ovation.

Houpe was 15 months old in 1965 when a Christmas tree fire left him with third-degree burns over 85% of his body. He said he died twice on the way to the hospital, and his parents credited Wayne with saving him. Wayne remembered an immediate connection with the child and told him, “You’re going to survive.”

He is now married to Tiffany, has two children, and works as a school administrator and coach. Wayne named her own son after him.

At the send-off, Houpe told Wayne, “If it wasn’t for her then, I wouldn’t be here today.” He also called her his guardian angel and said, “You’re an angel. You’re an angel.” After the applause faded, Houpe walked Wayne out of the hospital.