Date uploaded: 2023-11-05 17:46:00
Two months after his daughter died by suicide, Ron Smith found a note titled "Letter to my abuser."
His daughter, Tristin Kate Smith, 28, wasn't writing about a person. Smith, a nurse, was addressing the American health care system.
"I gave my heart. My body, and my mind to you; dedicated long hours and days and gave you my all," Smith wrote.
Tristin's letter addressed issues of staffing shortages, assaults on health care workers, unfair compensation, and the overall stress and burden placed on nurses.
The note was dated to a few months before her death. While it's difficult to know exactly what led to Tristin's death, the frustration she expressed resonated with health care workers across the country and her letter went viral after it was published in a local newspaper.
Several health care workers told USA TODAY that it's extremely challenging work, but they wish she and other health care workers were aware of the growing number of resources to help them.
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If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach someone withhttps://988lifeline.org/. They're available 24 hours a day and provide services in multiple languages.
