TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Southern Arizona Nurse Honor Guard (SANHG) held a bench dedication ceremony Sunday at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park, marking a new way for the community to remember and celebrate nurses who have passed away.
LeAnn Leslie-Larson, president and co-founder of the nonprofit organization says SANHG exists to comfort loved ones and honor fallen nurses for their dedication and commitment in their compassionate service to others.
"We do a tribute at nurse's funerals and memorial services. That's how we originated. We've expanded our group a little to include hospice services for nurses at the end of their life as well," Leslie-Larson said. "So a nurse who is on hospice can have us come out and do a tribute that they can enjoy while they're still living and then once they've passed we'll come out and we'll do another tribute at their memorial service as well."
The bench with the SANHG logo and the words "They Were There" has a purpose.
"The bench is meant to serve as the place where nurses can come to take a break from the pressures of life and work. Families can come to remember the nurses that they have lost. Here they can also enjoy the sights and sounds of nature and children playing bringing joy and peace to their souls as they take rest," Larson said.
The honor guard was established in 2021 and has 48 members from Pima, Yuma and Cochise counties. Some of those members joined the dedication ceremony, holding symbolic items including the Nightingale lamp.
SANHG co-founder Sandi Triplett held the lamp and explained the significance of the candle used during services.
"From Florence Nightingale's day, that's the way the nurses lit their way through the camps and now today when nurses graduate from nursing school, they receive a lamp as a graduation gift," Triplett said. "So when we do a service for a nurse who has passed away, the candle is lit at the beginning of the service and we blow out the candle when we relieve them of their nursing duty."
Members also held a white rose, signifying a nurse's devotion to their profession.
The bench is located near the playground and splash pad next to Ramada 5 at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park.
It is the only bench of its kind in Southern Arizona.
"We're hoping that it gets a lot of attention and a lot of people sitting on it for their enjoyment," Leslie-Larson said.
Leslie-Larson says honor guard is funded solely through donations and membership dues, which paid for the $3,000 bench.
"And then we take our monies and we put them back into the community or into our services. The services that we provide, the tributes for the nurse and their families are no cost to them," Leslie-Larson said.
To donate to SANHG, become a member or request their services, visit their website to learn more.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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