Breath by Breath
The Calling of a Respiratory Therapist
Since 2012, my life has been measured in breaths—not my own, but the breaths of every patient who has ever looked at me with fear in their eyes because they couldn’t take one.
When someone can’t breathe, the world stops. Panic rises. The room changes. And that is the moment a respiratory therapist steps in. We don’t just bring equipment; we bring calm. We bring hope. We bring air back into a life that feels like it’s slipping away.
I’ve cared for patients battling COPD, asthma attacks, pneumonia, ARDS, COVID-19, and many other conditions that steal breath without warning. I’ve adjusted ventilators in emergencies, held hands during moments of fear, offered comfort during a patient’s weakest moments, and celebrated the sound of a patient taking their first strong breath again.
But I’ve never done it alone. I’ve worked beside incredible nurses, patient care technicians (CNAs), physicians, radiology teams, pharmacists, physical and speech therapists, environmental services, and so many others who make healing possible. Together, we are a circle of care.
Being a respiratory therapist is not just a profession—it is a calling. It shapes you. It humbles you. It teaches you to appreciate the miracle of every inhale and exhale.
My goal has always been the same:
To serve with compassion as a person,
to support my team as a coworker,
and to give my very best as an employee.
Because at the end of the day, our work is about more than lungs.
It’s about life.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about giving someone the breath they need to keep going.
And that is a privilege I never take lightly.
