To start out, I joined the military right out of high school, and I went in for four years. 

I got out of the military and I came back to Salt Lake City and started my life at the University of Utah. I've been here ever since. 

The surgeons live a pretty stressful life with things like life and death on their hands. So as a surgical tech in the burn unit, I come in there and do those extra little things to help them have it ready so there's less for them to tell everybody every day over and over.

I've worked with some fabulous doctors for 30 years. As they retired and moved on, I had the next round of besties come in. It's kind of funny watching time roll by. There's young surgical techs that I train that are the same age or a little younger than some of my grandchildren. I'm always making fun of them, saying, “It's like Take Your Grandpa to Work Day.” 

I tell them that when I first started 35 years ago, I wasn't like I am now. But I bring a lot of experience, and that experience, you can't replace it. We're kind of like a family.