SAN ANTONIO — When floodwaters surged through Central Texas during the Fourth of July weekend, two nursing students from Wayland Baptist University’s Ben and Bertha Mieth School of Nursing in San Antonio didn’t hesitate to act.
Valerie Hedenland and Elizabeth Santos, both enrolled in Wayland’s LVN to BSN program, volunteered their time and medical expertise to assist with search and recovery efforts in Leander, one of the hardest-hit areas. The two, both military veterans and close friends, responded through Intrepid Care, a veteran-run nonprofit that mobilized quickly to support first responders on the ground.
“For both of us, this was personal,” said Hedenland, a 32-year-old Army veteran. “We have acquaintances who lost loved ones in the flooding. We felt compelled to go out there and help our fellow Texans in any way we could, hoping our nursing background and military experience would be of good use.”
Partnering with Intrepid Care, Hedenland and Santos provided vital medical support to exhausted search and rescue teams. Their work included administering IV infusions for dehydration, supplying first aid, organizing medical supplies, and assembling kits for crews in the field. Side-by-side with responders on foot, cadaver dog teams, law enforcement, and volunteers—some even on horseback—the Wayland students stayed in Leander until the final missing person was found and identified.
“We were heartbroken by the devastation we saw—broken roads, uprooted trees, crushed vehicles. Families had lost everything,” Hedenland said. “It was emotional to witness firsthand. But even in that tragedy, we met some incredible people. Everyone brought something valuable to the mission, and it was an honor to be part of that effort.”
Though students now, Hedenland and Santos exemplified the heart of nursing—compassion in action—during a time of crisis. Their response underscores the mission of Wayland Baptist University to prepare servant leaders who make a difference in the world, even before graduation.
“Valerie and Elizabeth are shining examples of the kind of nurse-leaders we strive to cultivate,” said Dr. Rebekah Grigsby, Dean of the Mieth School of Nursing. “Their selfless response to this tragedy reflects not only their training, but their calling.”
The two students are back in class now, but the impact of their service remains—both in the hearts of those they helped and in the strength of the community they stood beside during its darkest days.
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