A Moment That Changed Everything
What began as a simple backyard birthday gathering turned into every parent’s nightmare for the Griffith family. Little Holden, an energetic toddler, had been playing in a kiddie pool with his cousin while adults watched nearby. Everything seemed safe. Everything felt normal.
Then, in a few quiet seconds, everything shifted.
“I suddenly realized I didn’t see him,” recalled Holden’s mother, Kenzie Griffith. “One minute he was playing. The next minute I was screaming, ‘Help me.’”
Her best friend’s husband pulled Holden from the water. He was scared and crying. Kenzie laid him on the ground, started compressions, and begged him to stay awake during the frantic drive toward NRMC.
“I kept thinking, if he goes to sleep, what if he doesn’t wake up,” she said. “I was terrified.”
EMS met them along the way, but the fear stayed until they reached the hospital.
The ER Team Responds
When Kenzie arrived at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, she saw something she will never forget.
“As soon as we pulled up, nurses were lined up at the door waiting for us. I just kept yelling, ‘Help me, please help me.’ And they did. Immediately.
The emergency team had already heard the radio call about a possible pediatric drowning. They prepared for the worst. But when Holden arrived crying and responsive, it brought a wave of relief.
Holden was placed in a trauma observation room, a space reserved for the most serious cases. No toys. No comfort items. And he had arrived with nothing familiar from home.
“I was overwhelmed. All you hear is not to go to a small hospital for serious emergencies,” Kenzie admitted. “But my pediatrician confirmed NRMC was doing everything right. That was when I finally breathed.”
A Sock Friend That Made All the Difference
Once Holden was stabilized, ER nurse Abbey Lucky stepped quietly into a moment that needed more than medicine.
Abbey took a pair of clean socks and created one of her small “sock friends,” something she has made for years whenever a child needs comfort. It was soft, simple, and exactly what Holden needed to feel safe.
She then went to her car, where she keeps toys for her own children, and returned with a few for him to hold and play with.
The room changed instantly.
“He grabbed onto that sock friend and didn’t let go,” Kenzie said. “He held it from the moment Abbey gave it to him through the entire experience. That sock friend got him through that day.”
Nurses continued stopping in just to check on him.
“They weren’t checking oxygen or vitals,” she said. “They were checking on him. That meant everything. They treated us like family.”
Even after the transfer, staff reached out to ask how Holden was doing.
“You do not get that anywhere else.”
ER Supervisor Misty Dalme was not surprised.
“Abbey always goes above and beyond. She is compassionate with every patient. All our nurses have huge hearts. You cannot teach compassion.”
Gratitude That Sparked Something Bigger
After returning home, Kenzie could not shake the gratitude she felt. She kept thinking about the people who helped her son and about the comfort that simple sock friend brought him during one of the scariest days of their lives.
She decided she wanted to give something back. A few days later, she purchased approximately forty teddy bears and brought them to NRMC as a way to help other children who might face frightening emergencies of their own. It was a simple thank you. A desire to give back. A way to turn fear into hope.
“I prayed over every bear I bought,” she said. “I prayed that other parents would feel the same peace and comfort we did. I wanted kids to feel safe on the worst days.”
Her gesture brought the ER team to tears.
And it inspired something bigger.
The Beginning of the Lucky Bear Program
Moved by Abbey’s compassion and Kenzie’s generosity, NRMC created the Lucky Bear Program, named in honor of Abbey Lucky. Lucky Bears are now given to children who arrive at the ER during frightening or traumatic experiences.
It is a symbol of calm in chaos. A reminder that comfort matters. A reflection of who NRMC is.
“I want this to continue,” Misty said. “I want children to feel hope. I want families to feel supported. And I want people to see the kindness that happens here every day.”
The program belongs to the entire community now. And you can help it grow.
Help Us Provide Comfort to Children in Crisis
Your donation to the NRMC Foundation ensures that every child who enters our ER receives a comforting bear during a frightening time.
Donate today: nrmcfoundation.org/donate/
Every gift brings comfort. Every bear brings hope. Every act of kindness changes a story.
Holden went home safe. Kenzie left feeling supported and cared for. And children who arrive in the future will feel comfort because of one sock friend and the compassion that grew from it.
At NRMC, emergency care is not just medical. It is human. It is compassionate. It is community. And for Holden and his family, it made all the difference.
About the NRMC Foundation
The Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting healthcare excellence close to home. The Foundation raises funds to enhance services and technology at NRMC, award Community Wellness Grants to local organizations, and provide scholarships for nursing and allied health students. Guided by a volunteer board, the Foundation works with donors, partners, and community leaders to strengthen healthcare throughout Natchitoches Parish and beyond.