The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
Veronica Eades’ daughter says, “She is the sweetest person who will do anything for her kids and is an amazing nurse who loves what she does.”
Veronica Eades is a mother of six, a grandmother of ten, has five dogs, and she is an LPN at Colonial Manor. Veronica is a Danville native being born and raised here. The small-town energy and her kids living in the area are what keeps her in Danville.
Veronica has had to face many hurdles in her life, from becoming a single mother at sixteen and leaving school to work two or three jobs to support her family. “I always put myself last – I worked two or three jobs to make sure they (her children) had what they needed.” At twenty-three, deciding to take things into her own hands, she worked to get her GED. Veronica remembers when her grandpa would ask her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she always said “a nurse.” Veronica knew exactly what she needed to do; she needed to take care of people.
However, because of hurdles in her life, she would have to put her dreams on hold for her family to survive and thrive, having Covid-19 three times and being hospitalized because of it, being just one of many. She dropped out of school to take care of her dad when he was terminally ill. She shared, that before he had passed, he told her to not give up, go back to school and keep going. Immediately she decided that she was going to put herself first and jump back into school headfirst. After twenty-seven years of struggle and hurdles, she attained her LPN.
Now she works at Colonial Manor with what she calls her second family. She recently found out that she passed her boards, and she is now an RN! Her daughter shared, “My mom… I really think she deserves this. This woman has worked so hard for years now and all of her kids are so proud of her.” After a well-deserved break from school, Veronica wants to go back to school and work for her BSN. In the meantime, she will be putting smiles on the faces of the residents at Colonial Manor through her presence as a nurturing caregiver and encourager.
When asked why she keeps going, Veronica told us she has always been a giver… “I want to take care of people. I want to fix things for people. That is why I was so drawn to nursing.” She eventually wants to go back to volunteering at the Women’s Care Clinic in Danville, so she can help single mothers navigate the difficulties they might face. Through all of the hardships, Veronica continues to look at life as if it is a gift; she keeps going no matter what because of her kids and grandkids. Her words of wisdom at the end of the interview were, “Never give up, your dreams are reachable. There will always be hurdles to overcome.”
Thank you, Veronica Eades, for being a constant light and role model in the City of Danville.
Written by Erin Gregory
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
