Clinical teams don't always know what becomes of the people they have cared for or supported during a hospital stay. Through shifts, unit transfers, and the days that pass, patients and their loved ones meet new faces or get discharged from hospital, often with a sense of relief. The memories and the bonds, however, never fade.
Sometimes, these individuals cross paths again after some time has gone by. It is then a deeply moving moment : it is an opportunity to express heartfelt gratitude. Or to learn, with joy and pride, that a patient has recovered or that a family is grateful for the care provided to their loved one.
One day in December, Mrs. Gisèle Lanouette went to Sacré-Coeur Hospital, accompanied by her husband, Mr. Sylvio Fortin. As they were leaving, they came across a face Mr. Fortin immediately recognized: it was Dr. Marc Bélliveau, one of the doctors who had taken such good care of Mrs. Lanouette a few weeks earlier.
Seeing Mrs. Lanouette standing before him and in remission, Dr. Bélliveau was deeply moved. He realized the extraordinary nature of this success: this woman, for whom he could not predict whether she would heal or not, is well on her way to recovery. She is walking, she is talking, and she is gradually resuming the course of her life alongside her loved ones.
This encounter also left a lasting impression on Mr. Fortin. It showed him that his wife's recovery — the woman with whom he has shared his life for 42 years — matters not only to him and his family, but also to the teams who cared for her with such attentiveness and expertise after the accident that turned their lives upside down.
An Accident with Heartbreaking Consequences
It was August 1st, 2025, in the afternoon. Mrs. Lanouette was at the grocery store when she hit her head after falling to the ground. A little dazed, she assured the kind people who helped her get back on her feet that she was fine. A little later, once she had returned home, she was struck by an intense headache. Sensing that something was wrong, she called 911 right away.
Mr. Fortin received the call from a staff member at Saint-Jérôme Hospital while he was in his car, heading home to Mirabel. The man on the line told him that his wife had suffered a medical episode. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned around and drove straight to Saint-Jérôme. There, he found the woman he loves — smiling, bantering, fully conscious. Lying on a stretcher in the emergency room, she told him about her accident, which she considered minor.
After discovering a small brain bleed, the emergency physicians ordered Mrs. Lanouette's transfer to Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital. This is standard procedure in such cases.
At Sacré-Cœur, the doctors were not overly concerned, but decided to keep her under observation until the next day. It was during the night that everything went really wrong. The bleed had grown. It was Dr. Marc F. Giroux who came in to operate on Mrs. Lanouette at 3 a.m. to save her life. In the morning, Mr. Fortin did not find his wife on a stretcher in the emergency room, where he had last seen her the day before. He found her intubated and connected to machines in the intensive care unit.
Dr. Giroux, the surgeon who performed the operation that saved Mrs. Lanouette's life, poses by her side a few weeks after the procedure.
Mrs. Lanouette remained in a coma for a week. For Mr. Fortin and their son Gabriel, who both came to her bedside every day, it was a week filled with worry, anxiety, prayers, and crossed fingers — hoping more than anything that their wife and mother would wake up.
When she finally opened her eyes for good, it was a tremendous relief. From the moment she awoke, the long and difficult road of extubation, healing, and rehabilitation began.
A Caring and Compassionate Staff
While Mrs. Lanouette was in a coma, the presence of the hospital staff was a true source of comfort for her husband and son, especially when she experienced complications such as seizures. "What struck me most about this hospital was the caregivers, who are deeply human and take the time with everyone. The students often came to see me to offer their encouragement. Even at the cafeteria, the employees began to recognize me and ask how my wife was doing. All in all, I have very fond memories of the Hospital," Mr. Fortin recalls.
Despite the relentless pace of their work, the care team genuinely cared about building bonds with Mrs. Lanouette once she regained consciousness. Mr. Fortin remembers Jasmine, the head nurse, who was in high demand and yet always took the time to visit his wife. The two developed a wonderful bond, nurtured by unforgettable moments of teasing and tenderness.
Mrs. Lanouette alongside Jasmine.
Today, Mrs. Lanouette is doing much better thanks to the excellent care she received at Sacré-Cœur for about two and a half months. She has regained a good level of autonomy, although she still lives with some physical fragility and a few cognitive after-effects.
A Special Moment of Celebration, Gratitude, and Generosity
For Mr. Fortin, taking practical action to move forward and improve the conditions in which we live is essential. The ordeal his family went through became the catalyst for active involvement: "The people at the Hospital gave me so much — it only makes sense that I give something back," says Mr. Fortin.
He therefore organized a dinner at a restaurant to celebrate both his wife's 70th birthday and her remission. On May 1st, he invited about sixty carefully selected guests — people who had come to support and encourage his family while they were at the Hospital. For the occasion, Mr. Fortin treated his guests to a meal and encouraged them to make a donation to the Montréal Sacré-Coeur Hospital Foundation.
The generosity of those around him exceeded his greatest expectations. He had hoped to raise between $3,000 and $4,000. The event raised $5,000.
"Imagine if this kind of fundraiser were multiplied — think of everything we could accomplish together. We have a great force in our hands, and we need to use it. I want to organize more of them," Mr. Fortin claims.