eHeathWatch Spotlight

Holmes Regional Medical Center Patient Relations Advocate Kevin Holder, above right, facilitated a meeting between Dakota Best and Will Davis, aka Santa Claus. The meeting helped Davis face his difficult surgery.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – When Suntree resident Will Davis learned last year that he needed to have his leg amputated due to complications from an injury sustained 27 years ago, he was mostly concerned about one thing – for the past 25 years, Davis has spent his holidays as Holmes Regional Medical Center’s Santa Claus.

“If the amputation was taken above my knee, my days as Santa would be over,” he said. “The chronic pain and deteriorating condition, however, forced my decision to have this surgery.”

Before Davis' surgery, Patient Relations Advocate Kevin Holder at Holmes Regional Medical Center had become acquainted with Davis through his Santa role.

In early 2008, Davis informed Kevin that he needed to have his right leg amputated and did not know if he would be able to fulfill his Santa commitment the following year.

“I immediately thought about how Kody Best might be able to lift Will’s spirits,” said Kevin, “so I asked him if he would talk to Kody before his surgery. He agreed.”

Kevin arranged the meeting between the two patients who were nearly five decades apart in age.

“In my role as advocate, I facilitate communication and assist patients with their emotional needs," Holder said.

"I knew that Will was very depressed about the possibility of not being able to serve as Santa at Holmes again. I had met Kody Best and his family when he became a trauma patient. With Kody’s positive attitude following his surgery, I felt if Will met the fourteen-year-old trauma survivor, he could provide some needed emotional support for Will before his surgery.”

“Meeting Kody and his family was uplifting,” said Davis. “He talked about how he felt following his amputation and shared with me how he continues to do the things he loved before his accident. He gave me the confidence I needed to face the daunting surgery. He was a mentor to me.”

Davis' surgery was successful, and he plans to continue his role as Santa at Holmes this year. The meeting that Kevin arranged between the two patients not only provided support to Will at a critical time, but has led to a friendship between Davis, Kody, and Kody’s family.

Dakota Best pushes the wheelchair for 63-year old veteran Will Davis, as they visit the Traveling Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Wall in Wickham Park. The two became acquainted at Holmes Regional Medical Center.

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