Sarah Schafer rarely lets people see her get emotional. The 39-year-old hospice worker at Heartland Hospice in Washington comforts her patients when they take their final breaths, offering steadfast, stoic support. But Schafer becomes so close to her patients that she often canât help but join the families in their mourning.
âEvery time a patient passes, Iâm coping too,â Schafer recently told The Missourian. âI cry with them, and I have cried with the families sometimes. I have always told myself that Iâve gained another angel watching over me. A lot of times as soon as I get in my car I start crying because itâs a peaceful experience.â