Daughter in Army surprises mother at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Erin Kirkwood, a 24-year-old Specialist in the U.S. Army, had not seen her mother in more than a year; she has been stationed in Germany and was not expected to see her mom until later this year. An opportunity arose for her to rectify this, and she came stateside to surprise her mom, Kenisha Rolling.

Rolling is a patient care assistant at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center. Knowing her mother is a workaholic, Kirkwood decided to make a surprise appearance at the hospital during National Certified Nurses Week.

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands staff threw a party in honor of the grand reunion, led by Customer Relationship Management and Patient Relations Director Edmund Lee and Director of Patient Care, Surgical Care Unit 5 East Emefa Arnaout, MSN, MHA, RN NE-BC. Kirkwood worked with Lee to make the surprise happen, and the hospital helped create a memorable experience for both mother and daughter.

For the reunion, Rolling was called off her shift to enjoy time with her daughter and Kirkwood’s friends. The mother was more than surprised and looked forward to returning home to surprise other family members there with Kirkwood’s visit home. Her heart and thoughts have constantly been with her daughter during this period of global uncertainty.

“It’s heartbreaking, but I know she’s doing something important,” Rolling said of her daughter. “I like the fact that she’s seeing the world and protecting the world, so it makes me very proud.”