Most people think hospice is only about end-of-life care. But for those who’ve experienced it, hospice is something much deeper—it’s love in action, often in the most unexpected ways.
Take Cynthia and Charlie, for example. Charlie was receiving care through hospice when he and Cynthia decided they wanted to get married. Time was short. Valentine’s Day was just around the corner. But love doesn’t wait—and neither does hospice.
Enter Chaplain Roger Rustad, a man who has spent more than 25 years walking alongside patients and families through their final chapters. He helped Cynthia take care of the legal side of marriage: securing a marriage license, filing the necessary paperwork, and making sure everything was in place. And when it came time for the ceremony, Roger officiated.
“I’m the pen that God uses to write His ‘love letter’ to the patient and families,” Chaplain Rustad said.
But love stories like this don’t happen without a team. That’s when Roger reached out to Jamie Slade, a hospice volunteer coordinator with a heart as big as her spirit.
Jamie, a former electrical engineer who changed careers after 9/11 to pursue something more meaningful, got to work. She found a roadside flower vendor who pulled together a bouquet worthy of any bride. She called on Albertsons, who graciously donated a white cake. And when Cynthia needed a dress—Jamie lent her own wedding gown.
Knowing that Cynthia and Charlie had once dreamed of going to Italy, Jamie found a local video store that donated two films: one a romantic comedy, the other a scenic tour of Italy. For one beautiful evening, they brought Italy to them.
This is hospice. Not just clinical care—but soul care.
“We do this because it matters,” Jamie shared. “It’s about loving people where they are and helping them feel that their life meant something—that they’re not a burden, they’re a legacy. These are people who raised families, worked hard, and gave so much. They deserve dignity, joy, and comfort.”
Jamie oversees the volunteer program that supports caregivers and families through the Tuck-In Program, where she and others check in weekly to see how caregivers are coping to prevent caregiver fatigue and burnout. Many are overwhelmed, doing things they never imagined they’d need to learn—lifting, feeding, bathing someone they love.
“We have volunteers who provide companionship, who can sit with patients so a caregiver can take a break—go to lunch with a friend, run an errand, or just breathe,” Jamie said. “Others help with light housework, prepare meals, offer music and pet therapy, or just listen. Sometimes, it’s about giving someone the space to get their nails done or take a walk by the ocean.”
And when the final goodbye comes, hospice doesn’t walk away. For up to 13 months after a patient passes, families are offered support through the bereavement program, because grief doesn’t end at the funeral. It’s a year of firsts: the first birthday, first Christmas, first Mother’s Day without them. And hospice is still there, checking in, offering comfort.
Jamie likens her work to the parable of the Good Samaritan—stopping for the weary traveler when others pass by, or even to the courage of Desmond Doss on Hacksaw Ridge, going back again and again, saying, “Just one more.” Just one more patient. One more caregiver. One more story that matters.
Most people don’t realize how much hospice offers—not just to patients, but to their families. It’s physical, emotional, and spiritual support. It’s showing up when it matters most.
It’s love, in every form it takes.
Share this story to honor how Chaplain Roger Rustad, Volunteer Coordinator Jamie Slade, and the entire hospice team go the extra mile to bring comfort, dignity, and even a little magic to life’s most tender moments.
Written by Jeanie Allen – Media Relations & Digital Strategist, Medal of Honor historian, and Legacy Representative for Cpl. Desmond Doss Sr. Passionate about sharing the real stories of hospice—because it’s not just for the dying. It’s about living, loving, and letting families simply be family.
