05/14/2026
Yesterday was the last day of Nurses Appreciation Week, so first and foremost, THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! The time, effort, care and patience you have is simply outstanding and we appreciate it so much.
Last week I had time to stop at both Renee and Alex's Vigil. I got to meet and chat with Fabiola and James, main caretakers of Renee's Vigil. (amazing, wonderful people, thank you!)
After I paid my respects to Renee, I made my way to see Alex.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti was also a nurse. Specifically, he was an intensive care nurse for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. His last moments he was defending a woman, making sure she was okay.
Like many others, every time I come back to this area I have thoughts of that day. Waking up after our first National Strike, getting ready to edit photos from that day, and then hearing that another one of us had been murdered.
I remember driving there, seeing a cloud of not furnace exhaust from a building, but a cloud of tear gas rising from the scene. I remember the hurt and anger in voices yelling at those who should be protecting us; I remember the trigger happy, inexperienced agents waiting to use their "non-lethal" weapons.
Approaching Alex's vigil, the scenery looked much different from that day. The snow and ice is gone, no agents in the street, no chaos. But I do see the parking lot where people took cover, I see the alley way that we ran to after more tear gas was launched. I see the area where a woman was screaming in pain after being hit. I see The Copper Hen where it turned into a medical station, I see Glam Doll Donuts and The Black Forest Inn that provided shelter and resources for community members...
But it's nothing compared to the sacrifice that both Alex and Renee made for us, and for that we thank you.
We are still fighting for justice and won't stop until we get it for both of you and everyone else that has been hurt by our government.
