This Veterans Day, we shine a special light on those who have served our country and continue to serve as caregivers in our communities. Edgar is one of them—a busy husband, Major in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and ICU Nurse Manager in Mission Hills, California. He knows a lot about what it means to serve—in every sense of the word.

Discovering a “home” in the ICU

Edgar wasted no time in pursuing a career in healthcare after graduating from high school, applying for a job at the age of 18 at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, where he still works today. He started in a medical transport position, and shortly after, a chance opening changed his life. “There was an opening for the clerk position in the Intensive Care Unit,” he says. “That’s when I knew that I wanted to be forever in the ICU.”

With support from the unit nurses and his core leaders, as well as the Providence tuition reimbursement benefit, Edgar obtained his Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, then his bachelor’s degree in nursing. He worked as a charge nurse, rapid response nurse, and manager in the Progressive Care Unit before coming full circle. “I was able to apply back to what I call my home, the ICU.”

Leadership forged in two worlds

Edgar’s journey at Providence is only part of his story. After earning his BSN, he joined the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant. Now a Major in the Reserves serving in flight evacuation, he balances his hospital duties with continued military service—no easy feat, but one made possible by his team. “With a tremendous amount of support from our staff here, I’ve still been able to serve,” he says. “I do a lot of humanitarian missions where I fly locally within the United States and am still able to perform those duties. It’s definitely a balancing act, but it’s been amazing.”

His military experiences have shaped him into a compassionate, unflappable leader. Edgar highlights some key skills that have benefited him in both the military and the healthcare setting:

1. Leadership and poise under pressure
2. Clear communication—especially when seconds count
3. Humility and gratitude for what we have
4. An unwavering commitment to teamwork
5. Adaptability in high-stress situations

Edgar doesn’t just say these things—he lives them. He’s balanced deployments far from home, including Afghanistan evacuations, with his busy role in the ICU. “It really keeps you humble,” Edgar reflects. “We’re very fortunate to have the things that we have here in the United States—including the wonderful medical care that we’re able to provide here.”

More than a workplace: a cherished community

If you ask Edgar what else makes Providence and the community it serves special, his answer is immediate: “We’re a family here.” What that means for him is: 

• Genuine connections: “Walking down the hallways is like no other place. Everybody says hello…and they’re genuine hellos.”
• Friendships beyond work: “I make plans with colleagues to take the kids out for a hike outside of hospital doors. I’ve made friendships that are real and have been established for quite a while.”
• Community roots: Edgar grew up just two miles from the hospital, and the Mission Hills community is near and dear to his heart. “This is our community hospital. It’s somewhere I’m really, really proud to call home.”

A very special memory at work

Edgar loves his workplace community even more because he met his wife at Holy Cross. Colleagues encouraged the match and later helped orchestrate a heartfelt proposal in the hospital.

Edgar recounts with a warm smile, “It was amazing. We had the house supervisor involved. We had security involved. Everybody knew I was doing it. Everybody was a part of it. My wife and I were working in different departments, and I had one of my colleagues bring her into a situation where they had to transfuse blood emergently. And my wife was like, ‘How am I gonna help?’ And my colleague told her, ‘You’re a critical care nurse, you can be super helpful during this situation.’ So they took her into the infusion center, which was surrounded by curtains. I had family and friends behind the curtains. When my colleague brought her into the room, I came out of one of the curtains and I got on my knee, then the curtains opened up and we were surrounded by family and friends. I proposed to her and she said, ‘Yes.’”

He laughs, “It was a rapid response that we would never forget.”

Today, Edgar and his wife both still work at Providence, and their three children—who were all born at Holy Cross—are growing up steeped in a culture of care, community and joyful memories.

Infusing everything with compassion

Whether enjoying time off with his family, conducting flight evacuations for the Air Force Reserves, learning and growing through programs like the Providence Leadership Academy, or working in the ICU to care for the community that raised him, Edgar leads with compassion.

“Being able to place yourself in difficult situations and still find that compassion for others is really important,” he says.

We’re thankful he continues to deliver compassionate care at Holy Cross. As he says with a smile, “Providence is a place where I belong. It’s a place where true faith lives and where family and friends come together to make a difference.”

On Veterans Day—and every day—we thank Edgar and all who have served for your strength, commitment and compassion.

Join our team

If you’re a veteran, reservist or active-duty service member looking for a team where your leadership skills and heart for service are valued, explore your own journey with Providence. View all open roles.