“Grief is defined as acute pain that accompanies loss. It is said to be a reflection of what we love. And like you, I loved working for Dr. Haley. In part, because he was an optimist, upbeat even in the face of a pandemic. He created a culture where quality and compassion were critically important, but never more so than the people: patients, employees, community partners, he took the time to consider and communicate with them all.
A quintessential emergency physician – he was always problem solving, unflappable, persistent, and forward thinking. He taught us not to get mired down in today, but to set our sights higher; to look out over the landscape and see what opportunities are coming and how to harness our expertise to seize them, bring solutions, make health care better.
Create the healthiest generation? “Got it.” On it. Face difficult conversations surrounding health equity and racism? Please do and I’ll be there. He inspired us by not shying away from the barriers standing in the way of our progress.
So, how to honor him while feeling a bit lost without him, that is the question many of us keep asking. I don’t have the answers but what keeps echoing in my mind is this: live the mission, follow the plan, fulfill the need, communicate, collaborate and care for one another along the way. We are grateful for all that he did to make us better as individuals and as a health system. And now, it’s our turn.”
– Kimberly Jones, vice president of development at UF Health Jacksonville