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Swede

(39,294 posts)
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 10:33 AM Jan 26

A co-worker of Alex Pretti posted this on facebook.

This is Jessia Hauser. These are her words about Alex Pretti - the man killed by I.C.E. yesterday..
"I was Alex Pretti’s final nursing student. He was my friend and my nursing mentor. For the past four months, I stood shoulder to shoulder with him during my capstone preceptorship at the Minneapolis VA Hospital. There he trained me to care for the sickest of the sick as an ICU nurse. He taught me how to care for arterial and central lines, the intricacies of managing multiple IVs filled with lifesaving solutions, and how to watch over every heartbeat, every breath, and every flicker of life, ready to act the moment they wavered. Techniques intended to heal.
Alex carried patience, compassion and calm as a steady light within him. Even at the very end, that light was there. I recognized his familiar stillness and signature calm composure shining through during those unbearable final moments captured on camera.
It does not surprise me that his final words were, “Are you okay?” Caring for people was at the core of who he was. He was incapable of causing harm. He lived a life of healing, and he lived it well.
Alex believed strongly in the Second Amendment and in the rights rooted in our Constitution and its amendments. He spoke out for justice and peace whenever he could, not only out of obligation, but out of a belief that we are more connected than divided, and that communication would bring us together.
I want his family to know his legacy lives on. I am a better nurse because of the wisdom and skills he instilled in me. I carry his light with me into every room, letting it guide and steady my hands as I heal and care for those in need.
Please honor my friend by standing up for peace, preferably with a cup of black coffee in hand and a couple of pieces of candy in your pocket, just as he would. He would remind you that caring for others is hard work, and we must do whatever it takes to get through the long shifts. Step outside with your dog, breathe in the world, hike or bike as he loved to do, and let yourself find peace in the quiet moments within nature. Stand up for justice and speak with those whose views differ from your own. Hold your beliefs with strength, but always extend love outward, even in the face of adversity.
Take one step, no matter how small, to help heal our world. Through these acts, carry his light forward in his name. Let his legacy continue to heal."
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HBtfu5rav/

52 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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A co-worker of Alex Pretti posted this on facebook. (Original Post) Swede Jan 26 OP
I'm not crying. biophile Jan 26 #1
"let yourself find peace in the quiet moments within nature." Botany Jan 26 #3
Preferably with a cup of black coffee in hand and a couple of pieces of candy in your pocket, just as he would. Swede Jan 26 #22
Brought tears to me eyes ... so sad ... such a loss .. ..nt Jarqui Jan 26 #28
I'm not either. Just some H2O fell on my face.... Damn... chouchou Jan 26 #38
The MAGAs, GOP, Trump hate this kind of person. They destroy all shining good lights in the world. Irish_Dem Jan 26 #2
Being compassionate isn't profitable. SergeStorms Jan 26 #24
Good people won't join or support the Trump Crime Syndicate. Irish_Dem Jan 26 #29
Only..... SergeStorms Jan 26 #31
A crime syndicate hires only psychopaths. Irish_Dem Jan 26 #32
Well, some of us are determined to do it. calimary Jan 27 #45
But they aren't. SergeStorms Jan 28 #46
Ain't that the truth? Scott Alan Swaggerty Jan 28 #50
Their kind have been doing this forever johnnyfins Jan 26 #27
They really do. Scott Alan Swaggerty Jan 28 #48
They think good people are suckers and losers. Irish_Dem Jan 28 #51
I've always thought that good nurses are like guardian angels FakeNoose Jan 26 #4
As a physician, evolves Jan 26 #19
You achieve immortality by living a life worth remembering. yellow dahlia Jan 26 #37
Beautiful Clouds Passing Jan 26 #5
A meaningful, principled life cut short. democrank Jan 26 #6
He was a thousand times better than all of them put together. MLWR Jan 26 #23
Amen, thank you Swede JMCKUSICK Jan 26 #7
He died attempting to protect a woman being assaulted pfitz59 Jan 26 #8
Those who care know ours is an infinite loss. Kid Berwyn Jan 26 #9
And Jessica.... Biglinda 52 Jan 26 #10
A moving tribute MustLoveBeagles Jan 26 #11
Absolutely beautiful tonkatoy8888 Jan 26 #12
What a terrible loss karin_sj Jan 26 #13
A man practicing the most noble of professions is La Coliniere Jan 26 #14
K&R orangecrush Jan 26 #15
Getting choked up once again - and angry and frustrated and more determined than ever. llmart Jan 26 #16
Beautiful Blue_Roses Jan 26 #17
It's tragic that we're always on the receiving end of violence, having to be the better person and stand up for justice. ffr Jan 26 #18
that's just beautiful. nt orleans Jan 26 #20
you will know who people are by what they do and what they say. and the difference between Alex Pretti and those who somaticexperiencing Jan 26 #21
Beautiful Wild blueberry Jan 26 #25
The world lost such a wonderful person Tree Lady Jan 26 #26
The best of us... RussBLib Jan 26 #30
Well stated. calimary Jan 26 #41
As a nurse, this really hits me. Maru Kitteh Jan 26 #33
💔💔💔 Cha Jan 26 #34
Bless his beautiful soul. Joinfortmill Jan 26 #35
The world became a smaller place UpInArms Jan 26 #36
We keep losing good people to these monsters SunImp Jan 26 #39
What they did to Alex Pretti sestina Jan 26 #40
Absolutely. Absolutely unforgivable. Scott Alan Swaggerty Jan 28 #49
May his legacy continue to heal. WestMichRad Jan 26 #42
Wow - beautiful tribute. Pinback Jan 26 #43
What a beautiful remembrance and tribute to Alex Pretti! liberalla Jan 27 #44
The US lost a great man. Scott Alan Swaggerty Jan 28 #47
A.bunch of low life thugs murdered him and Klarkashton Jan 28 #52

Botany

(77,195 posts)
3. "let yourself find peace in the quiet moments within nature."
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 10:52 AM
Jan 26

Well crafted and a nice wish. The ICU nurse was murdered by Trump’s goons.

Swede

(39,294 posts)
22. Preferably with a cup of black coffee in hand and a couple of pieces of candy in your pocket, just as he would.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 01:01 PM
Jan 26

Irish_Dem

(81,045 posts)
2. The MAGAs, GOP, Trump hate this kind of person. They destroy all shining good lights in the world.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 10:41 AM
Jan 26

SergeStorms

(20,493 posts)
24. Being compassionate isn't profitable.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 01:09 PM
Jan 26

Until the right-wing lunatics in this country figure out a way to make it profitable, they'll exterminate all who practice compassion. Don't try to understand, it's a "christian" thing.

SergeStorms

(20,493 posts)
31. Only.....
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 01:59 PM
Jan 26

the absolute best people do, or so he says.

The absolute best psychopaths, anyway.

SergeStorms

(20,493 posts)
46. But they aren't.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 08:09 AM
Jan 28

The moment anyone in the Trump administration shows a human emotion - other than anger and hate - I'll probably faint. 😉

FakeNoose

(41,380 posts)
4. I've always thought that good nurses are like guardian angels
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:09 AM
Jan 26

Unfortunately nurses are also mortal ....

evolves

(5,834 posts)
19. As a physician,
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:47 PM
Jan 26

I KNOW that this is true. I’ve had the privilege to work with many wonderful nurses. They have enriched me professionally and personally.

yellow dahlia

(5,727 posts)
37. You achieve immortality by living a life worth remembering.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 06:45 PM
Jan 26

It is the paraphrase of a quote attributed to Bruce Lee. I have heard it used by others at commencement addresses and elsewhere.

Alex Pretti's legacy will live on in the stories shared by his friends and co-workers. And lives will be saved because he trained some of those nurses.

democrank

(12,555 posts)
6. A meaningful, principled life cut short.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:19 AM
Jan 26

Alex Pretti was so much better than the thugs that killed him.

Kid Berwyn

(24,224 posts)
9. Those who care know ours is an infinite loss.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:20 AM
Jan 26

Last edited Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:28 PM - Edit history (1)

Plus all the lives who Mr. Pretti cannot save, due to the unAmerican actions of trump, noem, bovino and their co-conspirators in treason.

Biglinda 52

(129 posts)
10. And Jessica....
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:22 AM
Jan 26

Carry on his legacy by teaching the nursing students under your care. That's how you'll keep his memory alive!

tonkatoy8888

(189 posts)
12. Absolutely beautiful
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:31 AM
Jan 26

remembrance from his co-worker. Mr. Pretti, from this eulogy and other notes from friends and professional associates I have read, seems to have been a real mensch.

What a horrible loss for his family and friends.

And for all of us. Our communities and our world are better because of people like Mr. Pretti.

It's also a reminder to us all to thank those people in our lives who have this special light. Let them know now how you feel and how much you appreciate them. Before it's too late.

karin_sj

(1,366 posts)
13. What a terrible loss
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 11:43 AM
Jan 26

This moving tribute brought tears to my eyes and makes me so angry that we are losing good, decent people to these murderous thugs who are so hateful and are actually looking at this violence as a game. And it makes me so utterly scared and worried for the people who have been snatched from the streets and out of their homes. If they are doing these beatings, attacks, and murders in broad daylight, I shudder to think of what they’re doing behind closed doors in the concentration camps that are popping up everywhere.

La Coliniere

(1,906 posts)
14. A man practicing the most noble of professions is
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:06 PM
Jan 26

murdered by the most ignoble monsters in the service of their monstrous, degenerate orange cult leader is an American tragedy of epic proportions. This cannot stand.

llmart

(17,572 posts)
16. Getting choked up once again - and angry and frustrated and more determined than ever.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM
Jan 26

Alex sounds like he is the kind of person who, if one of these goons were to end up in his ICU, would give them the same compassionate care he gave his other patients.

This is a horrible loss for our country in so many ways.

Blue_Roses

(13,862 posts)
17. Beautiful
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:28 PM
Jan 26

You can hear what a wonderful person Alex was through her words. He sounds like an amazing mentor and friend.

There are not enough words to say how this tragedy should have never happened. Enough. These thugs need to be held accountable.

RIP Alex. You will NOT be forgotten. 😔
.


ffr

(23,388 posts)
18. It's tragic that we're always on the receiving end of violence, having to be the better person and stand up for justice.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:35 PM
Jan 26

Epstein. Epstein. Epstein.

Everyone I talk to is shocked and scared that so many others feel empowered and emboldened by this lawless regime to turn our streets into a war zone. I fear more peaceful American civilians are going to die before this is over. More atrocities, that would get individuals in the military court-martialed, will go unpunished, protected by this tyrannical pedophile protecting government.

America has morphed into 1930s Nazi Germany.

21. you will know who people are by what they do and what they say. and the difference between Alex Pretti and those who
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 12:57 PM
Jan 26

shot him down could never be clearer.

The choice is clear. More's the pity to those who turn a blind eye.

And more the honor to his legacy to those who cherish his memory and carry on the work, decent work, and truly help to heal the troubles of this world.

These are beautiful, cherishing words she speaks and it makes my day better to know these things and to carry on in this light.

Tree Lady

(13,252 posts)
26. The world lost such a wonderful person
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 01:25 PM
Jan 26

You really do risk your life going anywhere near ICE no matter who you are or what you do or don’t do.

Maru Kitteh

(31,671 posts)
33. As a nurse, this really hits me.
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 03:44 PM
Jan 26

I can’t shake this one off and see it objectively at all. Stunned, blind rage. That’s where I am.

sestina

(527 posts)
40. What they did to Alex Pretti
Mon Jan 26, 2026, 09:55 PM
Jan 26

is unforgivable.
The shooting and the lies.
I'm thankful for the statements from this friend and from his parents that tell the world what a caring, peaceful, and beautiful man he was.
My heart hurts for his friends, his family, his coworkers, and the veterans who relied on him for excellent care and comfort.

liberalla

(11,071 posts)
44. What a beautiful remembrance and tribute to Alex Pretti!
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 09:22 PM
Jan 27

We've lost so much more than just one person or a wonderful ICU nurse.


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