Ryan Weitmann, Dedicated to Service

When Ryan Weitmann, the food and nutrition services (FNS) manager at Medical City Decatur, heard about the devastation in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, he volunteered without hesitation. He was in Asheville, supporting hospital colleagues for four of the most memorable and heartwarming days of his life.

He arrived to find a team of nurses from Asheville and, at his hotel, learned there was no running water—until HCA Healthcare brought in tanks of water to supply relief. Restaurants were closed, grocery stores bare and staff were stretched thin.

The next day, Ryan joined the hospital’s (FNS) team, where they all worked to restock the mini-mart that had been established within the hospital to support colleagues. They also prepared about 6,000 daily meals for staff, guests and families taking refuge in the hospital. Where colleague homes were destroyed, their families were invited to take shelter in the hospital for as long as needed. He says it was humbling to experience their tearful gratitude when they learned their meals were complimentary.

Amid such hardship, Ryan witnessed the swift support from HCA Healthcare, calling it awe-inspiring.

“When our company says ‘We Show Up’ or we ‘Care Like Family,’” he says, “It’s not just a hashtag or a slogan, it’s the truth.”