There were tears mixed with applause, laughs and a few sighs, thanks and more thanks — and more than one "They don't ever give up on you." The first Health First Trauma Survivors Reunion (on National Trauma Survivors Day) at Holmes Regional Medical Center was nothing if not profound.

About a dozen trauma patients from as far back as the 2000s reunited with Holmes Regional physicians, clinicians and staff. First Flight air ambulance nurses also attended, as did about two dozen firefighters and first responders, some of whom were there on the scene of the traumatic accidents. Between hugs and lots of photos, Health First staff handed out red tulips with "Trauma Patient Survivor" cards affixed along with totes with "SURVIVOR" printed on them to each of the patients who attended. 

"We come together to celebrate the gift of life — and especially for some patients, the second or third chance of life — due to the advanced procedures and excellent care that they have received from the skilled hands of our physicians and their teams," prayed Chaplain Derly Foerste, who directs Pastoral Care at Health First. "We pray, God, that we continue to bring healing to those that come to us seeking care and support in their time of illness, especially when dealing with unexpected tragic life-changing events."

READ the feature story and flip through the photo gallery produced by Florida Today HERE.

READ the print story in Yahoo! News HERE.