Amber Richards and Alexis Amatrudi turned childhood bond shaped by illness into careers caring for patients.
 

Long before they both wore scrubs or worked in the same healthcare system, the bond between sisters Amber Richards and Alexis Amatrudi was formed through family, illness and years of supporting one another.

For Amatrudi, now an APRN with Health First Medical Group at Gateway, her big sister was always fiercely protective.

“She kind of tried to take on almost like the mother role. She is so protective of me. She would even argue with our mom over who got to hold me when I was a baby,” said Amatrudi.

Richards is ten years older, and from the start she adored her little sister.

“I remember when she was born, I was super protective of her because that was my baby. I did not want anyone holding her unless it was my mom,” said Richards.

But when Amatrudi was just two years old, their relationship took on a deeper meaning.

Richards developed a rare nerve condition that brought years of pain, medical appointments and uncertainty.

“The whole situation turned my life upside down and it was a very difficult time. But even being ten years younger, Alexis was there for me. It is amazing to be that young and be that in tune to what is going on with somebody,” said Richards.

The little sister who once needed protecting soon became Richards’s comfort during some of the hardest moments of her illness.

“When I was getting spinal injections and epidurals. Alexis held my hand and said, ‘You can squeeze my hand as hard as you want,” said Richards.

Richards still finds that moment remarkable. “For a little kid to show up for their sister who they love in that way is profound. She was there and willing to take on the pain with me and share that with me,” said Richards.

Amatrudi remembers those years vividly. “She got sick when I was two, and from that point on so much of her time was spent being sick and in pain.”

Amatrudi naturally stepped into a caretaker role as she wanted to care for her and make her feel good. Whether it was water, food or a cool rag, Amatrudi was there by her side including her medical appointments holding her hand.

At the time Amatrudi did not realize how much those experiences would shape her future.

“When I was young I did not link my sister being sick with my interest in medicine. But at the core I just wanted to help people. I could not think of any job more about helping people than medicine.”

Years later Amatrudi built a career in nursing and eventually became a nurse practitioner as Richards watched proudly.

“I went to her pinning ceremony and listened to the speakers talk about the role of a nurse and the impact. That sparked the thought that maybe I could do that,” said Richards.

At the time Richards had already spent a decade as a teacher and was raising two young children. Still, something about healthcare felt right.
“Early in my career I had this sense that there was something else I was meant to be doing.”

After quietly completing the prerequisite courses for nursing school while working full time, Richards approached her younger sister. “I asked her if she would feel like I was trying to take her role.”

Amatrudi immediately encouraged her. “Of course not. I think you should definitely do it.”

Richards eventually joined the profession and now works as a registered nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center.

What began with a little sister holding her hand through painful procedures has grown into something extraordinary.

Both women now care for patients within the same health system. “It is really cool to share in this journey with my sister,” said Richards.

Their support for each other did not stop when their careers began. It simply evolved.

When Richards transitioned into intensive care, Amatrudi helped prepare her.

“She typed up this whole three page thing for me about the drips you might use and what to look for. It was like a crash course to ICU and I still keep a copy of it on my clipboard at work,” said Richards.

As both women grew into their roles, their conversations shifted from technical advice to emotional support.

“Now it is less of the technical stuff and more just the heart of it. We celebrate each other’s wins and we are there for each other’s difficult days,” said Amatrudi.

Richards says that shared experience in healthcare creates an understanding that few others can fully grasp.

“At one point her future was so uncertain. The main thing I wanted for my sister was for her to be happy and not in pain. Now she is out here living her best life,” said Amatrudi.

Richards said she knows she made the right choice and finds deep fulfillment in her role at Health First, feeling a renewed sense of purpose in work that feels exactly right.

Reflecting on their journey, Richards says the most important advice she would give other siblings is to always be there for one another.

“Just show up and be present,” she said. “Sometimes that means doing something and sometimes it means doing nothing but being there.”

For two sisters who first bonded while holding hands through pain, that support continues to shape the care they provide every day.

Health First in the news. 

Stay informed about the latest at Health First, from new technology to groundbreaking procedures and more.