Our deepest prayers, thoughts, and condo­lences go out to the friends, family and coworkers of Eljahn Balon who was tragi­cally killed early last Tuesday morning. The loss, grief and sadness that accom­pany fatal and tragic incidents like these leave us in utter shock and mourning. Our hearts break and there are no words or expla­na­tion to justify this loss of life. The loss of our colleague is devas­tating; we will miss him.

We salute our dear colleague, Eljahn Balon, with the Nightin­gale Tribute.

He Was There
When a calming, quiet presence was all that was needed, he was there.
In the excite­ment and miracle of birth or in the mystery and loss of life, he was there.
When a silent glance could uplift a patient, family member or friend, he was there.
At those times when the unexplain­able needed to be explained, he was there.
When the situa­tion demanded a swift foot and sharp mind, he was there.
When a gentle touch, a firm push, or an encour­aging word was needed, he was there.
In choosing the best one from a family’s​“Thank You” box of choco­lates, he was there.
To witness humanity — its beauty, in good times and bad, without judgment, he was there.
To embrace the woes of the world, willingly, and offer hope, he was there.
And now, that it is time to be at the Greater One’s side, he is there.

Respect­fully,
Washington State Nurses Associ­a­tion

For questions or concerns please contact WSNA Nurse Repre­sen­ta­tive Barbara Friesen at bfriesen@wsna.org.