Last week, the Providence family of organizations experienced a truly tragic and devasting loss. Doug Brant, a nurse with Providence Home and Community Care, was senselessly shot and killed while delivering care in a patient’s home in Spokane, Wash.

As you’ll read in this beautiful tribute by the Spokesman Review, Doug lived a life of compassionate service to others, not just within Providence, but also in his church and community. That’s what makes this especially heartbreaking. It is nearly impossible to fathom how a professional so dedicated to healing could be the victim of a violent, fatal crime while caring for someone in need.

To his family and loved ones, and his community of friends, we grieve with you and offer our deepest condolences. To the caregivers of Providence Home and Community Care, we share in the shock and pain of losing a respected and beloved colleague to a random act of violence.

And to all the caregivers of Providence, we recognize that growing violence in our communities is too often finding its way to the settings where we deliver care. In these increasingly unpredictable times, our pledge to you is that we will continue to do everything we can do to preserve the safety and sanctity of our healing ministry to keep you and our patients safe from harm.