Mon Health Employee Finds Assistance Through Colleague Support Fund

 
When Nile Peaytt's car broke down on the way to work, he did not expect his colleagues at Mon Health Medical Center to go above and beyond to support him during his time of need. Because of the Colleague Support Fund at Mon Health, Nile did not have to worry about how he was going to get to and from work or how he was going to pay for it all.

Nile was raised in Fairmont, WV before moving to Nashville, TN. He worked on the security team for the Tennessee Titans as a bodyguard for 20 years and spent time working for several famous music and film stars. In 2019, things changed for Nile when his parents' health started to deteriorate from cancer. He resigned from his job and picked up his things to move back home to Fairmont. 

"I am the only child, so I dropped everything and left my job to be a caregiver. My dad actually died on the way here from Nashville. We've always been so close, and it was rough when he passed," Nile said. "My mom ended up passing away three days before the anniversary of my wife's passing. It was definitely a double whammy when she passed less than a year after my dad."

After taking time to mourn the tremendous loss of his parents', Nile decided he needed to return to work, but was ready for a change. Nile applied and accepted a role at Mon Health Medical Center as a Screener in the Emergency Department, helping to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms as they arrive. 

"I'm a caregiver by nature, so when this position opened up at Mon Health, I knew I wanted to grow here," Nile said. "I want to be there for people on their worst day and hopefully when they leave, they remember it as a good experience."

On December 23, 2020, Nile was on his way to work when his car broke down on the Star City bridge. He called his supervisor to let him know he would be late arriving for his shift. 

"I was trying to hold it together, but I was defeated and feeling the clouds of Christmas coming," Nile recalled. "I thought this is for sure how you lose a job and now I have to call a tow truck and get a taxi to work."

After the phone call, Mon Health staff immediately worked on picking Nile up from the bridge and getting him a rental car. Another employee worked on getting his car from the bridge to Fairmont for repairs and making sure he didn't have to worry about the car during his shift.

"I'm not used to being the one in need. They took care of everything because of the Colleague Support Fund. In my mind I thought, I'll pay them back however I can. They ended up paying for everything, from the tow truck, the new transmission, and the rental car," he said. 

The Colleague Support Fund is a fund for employees at Mon Health to utilize in times of urgent need or crisis. Because of this fund, Nile did not have to worry about paying for the building costs of the repairs and rental car that he needed for several weeks. 

"Mon Health still has a small town and family feel, even at a place this size. It's why I wanted to work here," said Nile. "You feel the difference when you come here. There's a sense of family that you just don't get at other places. I can't thank the Colleague Support Fund enough." 

Through the Colleague Support Fund, the Mon Health Medical Center Foundation has distributed nearly $20,000 since May 2020 to 18 staff members just like Nile. 

"Through the power of private donations from our physicians, our staff, and our community, we were able to support one of our colleagues in a time of need," said Luella Gunter, Executive Director of Philanthropy at Mon Health. "Mon Health is able to assist those who give back to the community through their service in healthcare because of the Colleague Support Fund.”

To donate to the Colleague Support Fund, contact Luella Gunter at 304-598-1889 or GunterL@monhealthsys.org