Nurses Week Spotlight: Mark’s Second Act in a Life of Service
5/6/2025
At Crestwood Medical Center, we celebrate the passion, perseverance, and purpose that our nurses bring to work every day. For Nurses Week, we’re honored to highlight Mark—a nurse who proves that it’s never too late to change your life and make a difference in someone else’s.
For more than two decades, Mark worked in manufacturing management. But at age 50, he made a bold choice: he left the familiar behind to become a nurse.
“Nursing is actually my second career,” he says. “I spent 23 years in manufacturing,
management—and decided at the age of 50 I wanted to become a nurse.”
Naturally, the decision raised a few eyebrows.
“My wife actually told me, ‘Have you lost your mind?’” Mark recalls with a smile. “Most people thought I was crazy.”
But he never looked back.
“If you’ve ever thought about a career in nursing—go for it,” Mark says. “You’re never too old to start a new career. And I’m so glad that I did it.”
Today, Mark says the most rewarding part of nursing is the impact he gets to make every single day.
“When you can go home at the end of the day and say, ‘Hey, I did something good today. I made an impact in someone’s life. Helped them get better’—that’s what makes it worth it.”
As for what’s next? Mark says with a laugh, “Retirement?”
This Nurses Week, we’re proud to celebrate nurses like Mark—who remind us that purpose can come at any stage in life, and that compassion, courage, and care know no age limits.
Happy Nurses Week to all the incredible caregivers who inspire us every day.
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