Wesley 'Wes' Valentine
Griffin is keeping Valentine’s legacy of kindness and compassion alive with the Nursing Innovation and Technology Fund that will support new technologies to advance nursing care at Griffin Hospital.
“Everyone at Griffin knew and loved Wes,” said Ashley D'Agostino MSN, RN, WCC, Clinical Nurse Educator. “He always saw the good in everyone and everything, which was evident by the exceptional care he delivered day in and day out. Patients would always ask for him, wondering if he was working that day or when he was coming back.
"Wes was smart and easy going and always took the time to explain things to his fellow caregivers. His compassion, kindness, empathetic nursing approach, and ability to relate to patients was the definition of what a nurse should be.”
Valentine was a nurse at Griffin for more than 20 years.
After graduating Ansonia High School, he had aspirations of being a physician, but soon discovered the profession wasn’t for him. He knew he wanted to help people, and since he had several aunts who were nurses, Valentine enrolled in an accelerated nursing program and started working at Griffin after receiving his nursing degree.
Valentine later moved to San Francisco where he trained EMTs at the University of San Francisco, managed three health care centers for the Karuk Indian Tribe, and trained multiple staff members at Google and the San Francisco 49ers in first aid and critical care.
Valentine later moved to San Francisco where he trained EMTs at the University of San Francisco, managed three health care centers for the Karuk Indian Tribe, and trained multiple staff members at Google and the San Francisco 49ers in first aid and critical care.
In 2008, he moved back to Connecticut to help take care of his parents. He began working in the Griffin Emergency Department and earned the hospital’s Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award and Employee of the Year Award in May 2011.
Valentine transferred to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit in 2014. Around that time, he was diagnosed with cancer and was given a six-month life expectancy. Determined to keep helping others while battling the disease, he outlived the prognosis by five years - spreading joy the entire time.
“You could never have a bad day when you were working with Wes. He brightened up every challenging situation by always finding a way to make you laugh or smile,” D’Agostino said. “He had a positive and adventurous outlook on life always traveling and wanting to see new places in the world. But most of all he was strong, determined, and had the will to succeed- never letting his cancer diagnosis define him or his life.”
Valentine’s love for life and his respect and care for others was built through a solid upbringing in Ansonia.
Valentine transferred to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit in 2014. Around that time, he was diagnosed with cancer and was given a six-month life expectancy. Determined to keep helping others while battling the disease, he outlived the prognosis by five years - spreading joy the entire time.
“You could never have a bad day when you were working with Wes. He brightened up every challenging situation by always finding a way to make you laugh or smile,” D’Agostino said. “He had a positive and adventurous outlook on life always traveling and wanting to see new places in the world. But most of all he was strong, determined, and had the will to succeed- never letting his cancer diagnosis define him or his life.”
Valentine’s love for life and his respect and care for others was built through a solid upbringing in Ansonia.
His family and his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins lived together in the Benz and Milan streets neighborhood.
Valentine respected the family values instilled by his grandparents, and he always enjoyed leading conversations about the strong and proud ideals that were handed down to him and his cousins.
“Wes was a very easy-going, happy and resilient professional,” said Dan Tuccio, Physician Support-Marketing and International Patient Services Manager at Griffin and a cousin of Valentine.
“He treated patients like family and made sure to put them first. His very presence comforted patients and caregivers. Wes had an innate way about him to calm and reassure. He had ‘gold plated confidence.’”
Griffin Vice President of Patient Care Services Barbara Stumpo considers herself blessed for having worked alongside with Valentine during his first tenure at Griffin and then again as a trusted member of the CRCU when he returned in 2008.
When Valentine passed away, Griffin started receiving donations in his name for the hospital. Stumpo decided to set up a fund to help support his passion and carry on his commitment to exceptional patient care.
“We thought he’d be so happy to create an opportunity to invest in technologies that could advance care for nursing at Griffin, especially in CRCU,” Stumpo said. “Wes will be greatly missed here at Griffin.”
To donate to the Nursing Technology Innovation Fund in memory of Wes Valentine, contact the Griffin Health Development Fund, 203-732-7504.
“Wes was a very easy-going, happy and resilient professional,” said Dan Tuccio, Physician Support-Marketing and International Patient Services Manager at Griffin and a cousin of Valentine.
“He treated patients like family and made sure to put them first. His very presence comforted patients and caregivers. Wes had an innate way about him to calm and reassure. He had ‘gold plated confidence.’”
Griffin Vice President of Patient Care Services Barbara Stumpo considers herself blessed for having worked alongside with Valentine during his first tenure at Griffin and then again as a trusted member of the CRCU when he returned in 2008.
When Valentine passed away, Griffin started receiving donations in his name for the hospital. Stumpo decided to set up a fund to help support his passion and carry on his commitment to exceptional patient care.
“We thought he’d be so happy to create an opportunity to invest in technologies that could advance care for nursing at Griffin, especially in CRCU,” Stumpo said. “Wes will be greatly missed here at Griffin.”
To donate to the Nursing Technology Innovation Fund in memory of Wes Valentine, contact the Griffin Health Development Fund, 203-732-7504.
This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.
I am so sorry. I do remember him. God keep him in his loving arms.
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