I Used To Smile And The Became A Scared Badass Bad Boy

My name is Jeff Whelan and I Used To Smile. You might have seen me at the mall, running around playing with my little T-Shirt that said, “I Used To Smile And The Became A Nurse.” Well I’m here to tell you that I no longer smile and the become a nurse. I am now a cancer survivor and I have come to the conclusion that I did not become a nurse because I like helping people. I did not become a nurse because I thought it would be something I could just do for a living and turn a nice profit off of some insurance company. No I became a nurse because I love helping people, spreading hope, healing hearts and making a difference in peoples lives.

It was at an outdoor hospital where I met Rob, a young man who was down on his luck and needed a lift to get to his bed. We got talking to him and he told me of his struggles to get well and how his mother died when he was very young. He did not talk much about his death because all he said was that he loved his mother and wanted to help her find the light at the end of the tunnel. I think all kids need a little help to get through their rough times and I believe that when we need a little push to get through our rough times we should push ourselves as hard as we can for just one moment.

I printed up the shirt and had a big smile on my face while I put the shirt on and went out and spread my smile to everyone I saw. I talked to patients and asked if they were having the same struggles I was having. One lady named Desiree had been having abdominal pain behind the breastbone and every time she tried to get herself to sit up she was only pushing her tailbone out further. She was in and out of her chair a few times a day but every time refused to get the appointment scheduled for her chiropractor to come and help her.