How do you measure a career? In hours? Years? How about lives touched.
For Kay Kirkland 32 years as a flight nurse for UT Medical Center's Lifestar has been a chance impact a lot of lives.
"It’s awesome I feel so blessed that all my friends can come and share this with me," said Kirkland.
Kirkland was recruited by Doctor Robert Lash, the man who founded UT Medical Center's Lifestar program back in 1984. Since then she's worked a total of four decades at the hospital.
But, it hasn't always been easy. Lifestar had a crash on its first day in operation.
"We got the aircraft and got in business and the very day it was in business it crashed, so it was a little bit of a setback and we had to wait to get some new aircraft in. But Dr. Lash did not let that stop him from pursuing his dream,” said Kirkland.
The set back propelled the program to work harder and Kay made sure to set a good example.
"She also set the bar for the program both academically, clinically, and compassionately,” said Lifestar flight nurse Rocky Walker.
That devotion to patient care translates to lives saved.
"There are a lot of people out there walking around today, not because somebody took care of them, but because Kay Kirkland took care of them as a flight nurse,” said Walker.
Kirkland's family is thankful for a chance to celebrate Kay's hard work and the impact she's made.
"Great woman, thrilled to be her husband,” said Phillip Kirkland.
And for Kay Kirkland chasing that dream has driven her to be a helping hand on what could be the worst day of someone's life.
“That's what it's about for me, being there for somebody when they need somebody,” said Kay Kirkland.
Kay Kirkland and her husband volunteer with Honor Air.
They hope to keep that up and visit more family now that she's retired.