Welcome to the CT Nurses Honor Guard

Taking Caring to the Next Level!

About

About the Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard

The Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard pays tribute to the nurse at the time of their death by performing the Nightingale Tribute at the Funeral or memorial service. This ceremony is similar to a military tribute and officially releases the nurse from their nursing duties.

Nightingale Tribute

Mission

The mission of the Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard is to honor fallen colleagues and provide comfort to their families by reading the Nightingale tribute at their services.

Vision

The vision of the Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard is to read the Nightingale tribute for every nurse who passes in Connecticut.

History

  • 2002 - The Nurses Honor Guard (NHG) was started in the state of Kansas.
  • 2005 - Julie Godby-Murray of Michigan started spreading the idea of the NHG nationally.
  • January 2021 - After hearing about the NHG from Julie. Athena Mains, Maria Cusano-Sanzo and Shaina Hamel randomly meet and started the Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard.
  • Spring 2021 - Started planning and recruitment.
  • October 2021 - First CT tribute was performed.
  • July 2022 - Our website was launched. 

Awards

2023 Recipient of the CT Nurses Association Public Service Award

Testimonials

Testimonial Submission
Dear Nurses Honor Guard,
 
Thank you so very much for the wonderful tribute you offered at the Memorial Service for my wife, _______________.  What a beautiful moment that was.  To have her life-long work in nursing recognized in such a powerful way was truly wonderful.
 
On behalf of my family and the many friends that were present, we are very grateful, indeed.
 
We wish you well and thank you again for honoring nurses in this special way, as you honored ------------ with your tribute today.

March 12,2021

Beautiful service for  ----------------.
The family was extremely pleased. 
Very impressive and you made it so personal. Thank You
John C Carmon
Carmon Funeral Homes

February 6,2021

Thank you very much for coming to my wife's service at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.  A number of friends and family said that it was a lovely addition to a wonderful service that she would have enjoyed.  Your organization is to be commended.

Thank you for a beautiful tribute for our sister."

Words can hardly express what your presence at my mom's calling hours meant to all of us.  What a beautiful send off it was! Many of our friends commented on the beauty of the ceremony. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you so much for the beautiful service you gave for my sister. It was so moving and so appreciated by myself and my family.

I wanted to thank you all. You performed a tribute to my mother and it was beautiful. Thank you for all that you do, both for your patients and your colleagues. You brought comfort to our family in a time of deep pain, as you do for your patients every day. We appreciate all that you do, and thank you for helping to send our mother to her next destination peacefully.

The CT Nurses Honor Guard was a highlight of Mom's services. We are so very appreciative of your tribute to our Mother. We weren't sure of the protocol at the cemetery but my son-in-law (whose Mother is also a former RN) snapped a quick photo for us.  Everything went perfect and we are sure that Mom was smiling down on us for such a meaningful and special send-off--even with the weather. My brother added that Mom would love it -- having cold rainy Irish weather at her burial.

Thank you very much for coming to my wife's church service on Saturday morning. Everyone was very impressed with the Nurses Honor Guard. Our entire family appreciates what you and your team did for her.

Your group made a very touching addition to my wife’s service.

I just want to send a message to thank you all for the moving tribute to my mother this past Saturday. Everyone was talking about your ceremony. The way you incorporated in things about her was so touching. Thank you for coming out and being a part of her memorial.

We had the CT Nurses Honor Guard come and honor my mom. We cannot thank them enough for a beautiful, heartwarming memorial of my mom as an RN. She prided herself as a nurse and to have her honored this way made myself and my 4 brothers very proud. Thank-you for all you do.

Your kindness and tribute to our mother was beautiful and greatly appreciated. Words cannot express our thanks.

1/3/2023

My family wants to thank all of the nurse honor guards who attended our mother’s funeral.   This was such a tribute to our mother and was very well received by others.  Thank you so much for representing all of the hard-working nurses out there. 

 Dear CT Nurses Honor Guard-
I attended a funeral today and was moved to tears by the extraordinary words and actions of 4 women, who honored a colleague and released her from her earthly duties with dignity, love and humor. Thank you for your service to our profession, and for your dedication to honoring the legacy of nurses and supporting their families in this tender, meaningful way. I was so proud to stand in her tribute.

2/25/2023

On behalf of my grandfather and our entire family, we would like to extend our sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the beautiful Nightingale tribute at our grandmother's service. We were very touched by your ceremony; it was so moving with many personal touches. We feel thankful to have honored our grandmother’s dedication to nursing and her life-long career. We know she was looking down and smiling.

I just want to send a thank you for the beautiful tribute at my mom's memorial service. It was amazing and a wonderful send off for my mom. I heard from the funeral home who dealt with the arrangements that they received a call that the nurse color guard wanted to come. He didn’t tell me until I got there that he had a surprise. It was beautiful. Thank you for making the call and coming to honor my Mom.

You appeared like angels at my mom’s memorial service this weekend.  It was very touching! Thank you for what you do!

You did an amazing tribute at my mom's service this past weekend. We were all deeply touched by this. My mother would be honored.

Thank you for the beautiful Nightingale Tribute at my mother’s funeral service on June 3, 2023. It was a lovely way to honor her. Words cannot express how touched and appreciative our family was.

Thank you again for such a moving tribute. Our guests were overwhelmed with how beautiful the ceremony was.
We are so grateful to you and the honor guard team.

I wanted to thank you for your appearance at my aunt's service on August 12th.  Everyone commented that they enjoyed your presentation and thought it was a wonderful tribute to a lifelong nurse. Thank you again.

I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks for giving tribute to my mom at St Mary’s cemetery recently. It provided a personalized element and her entire family appreciated your attendance. As a nurse myself, I was truly touched. Thank you!

I just want to thank the nurses that came to my mom's service on Oct 7th. It was incredible and very moving.

My entire family thanks you for the moving tribute to my mother. We were unaware of your amazing gift to honor her. She was an RN, practicing in Stamford. She encouraged me to pursue my career as a nurse in CT, OH, and Maine. We worked together in CT. The tribute was as beautiful as she was. Dad was so overjoyed. Thank you for your service.

My entire family thanks you for the moving tribute to my mother. We were unaware of your amazing gift to honor her. She was an RN, practicing in Stamford. She encouraged me to pursue my career as a nurse in CT, OH, and Maine. We worked together in CT. The tribute was as beautiful as she was. Dad was so overjoyed. Thank you for your service.

Thank you for your part in my mom's service. It was truly moving and meant a lot to all of us!!!