As New Orleans nursing assistant Bridgette Robinson spent weeks on a ventilator fighting for her life against the coronavirus last month, her daughter continued to bravely do her job caring for other COVID-19 patients at the same hospital.
Sylvia Johnson showed up every day to perform her job as a nurse at Ochsner North Shore, a hospital outside of New Orleans, while getting updates from her colleagues about her mother's worsening condition.
"It definitely was scary and heartbreaking,'' Johnson told Hoda Kotb on TODAY Thursday. "Especially the fact that she's my best friend."
The mother and daughter ultimately celebrated a joyous day when Robinson, 54, exited the hospital to cheers from her colleagues as she was transferred to an acute care facility after surviving a difficult fight last month.
"It was really hard," a tearful Robinson said on TODAY. "The only thing I remember is waking up and hearing my grandson on Facebook telling me that he needs me, (saying) 'Grandma, don't leave me. I love you, I need you.'''
Hoda wanted to make sure the mother and daughter from her beloved New Orleans had one more heartwarming moment to cheer about as part of National Nurses Week, so she reached out to good friend Blake Shelton to give the women a sweet moment they won't forget.
Shelton surprised the ladies with a virtual visit after hearing about Robinson's recovery.
"Everything about this disease, I mean, you guys are out there on the front lines fighting it, and now you're a survivor of it," he said. "And you've got each other, and that's really what this is all about.''
Johnson credited her mother's survival to "God, prayers and her fight for life," so it was only fitting that Shelton played them his song "God Gave Me You" as part of the surprise.
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Just like that triumphant day last month for Robinson, her colleagues once again gave Robinson a cheer as Shelton sang a heartfelt rendition of the song.
"The whole time I heard you guys talking, and you keep throwing it back to God, and I love hearing you say that," Shelton said. "I want to dedicate this song from me to you guys as nurses, and being there on the front lines, and I think this song really speaks to your relationship with each other if you ask me."