Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

Mary Davis, a nurse in the neuro-ICU in suburban Chicago, credits her career and family to the impact of her brother Kevin Hansen’s death. The story is featured in "God is Alive, Part 2," a documentary produced by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

“As a nurse in the neuro-ICU, I love being the best part of someone’s worst days, and specifically, as a critical care nurse, I get to take care of the sickest patients and be there for them and their families during some of the hardest times of their lives,” Davis said.

Davis originally pursued nursing in college but switched majors due to academic and athletic demands. After graduation, she worked at Meryl Lynch in Chicago. In April 2015, her brother Kevin was hospitalized with an aggressive form of leukemia. Kevin was known for his faith as a theology teacher at Mt. Carmel High School and was involved with students through mission trips and school events. He often shared with students a quote from St. Augustine: “Right is right even if no one is doing it. Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”

Kevin died one week after his diagnosis at age 33.

“I had woken up from my sleep the morning he died all confused because I remember seeing him in a dream,” Davis said. “I saw him in a black field, everything was black, and he was running toward me, and there was nothing around, and he was like, ‘I’m OK, I’m OK, I’m happy, I’m good,’ and in the dream, I thought, ‘OK, he got healed, he’s better, he’s doing OK.’ Looking back, I don’t know how dreams work exactly, but I probably was having that dream at the moment that he died.”

Inspired by her brother's memory and moved by how nurses cared for him during his final days, Davis returned to nursing school. She later began working at University of Illinois Chicago Hospital where she met Alex—now her husband—who also works as a nurse.

Alex converted to Catholicism after meeting Davis.

“To be able to see that this family has a strong bond of commitment — there’s this awareness of inclusion, family support, and then there’s the faith, and that commitment is something I’ve always been looking for in my family,” Alex said. “Now to have my own family, I’m happy that Kevin is one of the leading role models even though I haven’t met him.

“I love the Catholic faith because it challenges you to be a better version of yourself. I feel like I was able to censor myself. I believe all the noise of my past self was quieted by listening for God, and I honestly think it feels right. It feels better.”

Reflecting on loss leading to unexpected blessings such as marriage and children after tragedy:

“I think about it often: my life—and the many blessings I've had in my life because I've had tragedies—but I've had way more blessings than tragedies," Davis said. "And the tragedy of losing someone is hard in that moment; but to trust in God’s plan—and that's all I can tell people—is as hard as it is; you have to trust that there's a plan."

Alex added: “I am very happy that God made it very challenging for me because you never appreciate something until it's gone; and when it's gone you can ask yourself 'Why me?' or you have to ask yourself 'Is there a bigger picture?' Just like with Kevin's death—yes—there was a bigger picture... Who knows? But the most important factor is there was a reason; I'm happy to be part of that reason.”

The documentary "God is Alive" (Parts 1 & 2) tells stories like these about faith emerging from personal loss.