lcmh.com 15 Local emergency medical services responded and transported Mike to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, where the emergency department team began treating him right away. Calming communication For Racquel, the experience stood out from the beginning. She remembers Jason Hagen, MD, explaining what was happening, reassuring her that Mike was receiving the care he needed and making sure she was kept informed every step of the way. At one point, Racquel stepped away from the room to get some water. While she was out of the room, Dr. Hagen had an update. Instead of waiting or moving on, he gave her a call. “He made sure that when he had information, I had information,” Racquel says. That moment stayed with her. In the middle of a frightening medical emergency, compassionate communication brought calm. Racquel felt that the team was not only treating Mike’s symptoms, but also caring for her as a person trying to understand what was happening to someone she loved. Brothers in service The experience became even more meaningful when Dr. Hagen shared that he was a veteran too. He reassured Racquel that Mike was in good hands and even referred to him as his brother. “I was his brother’s wife,” Racquel says. “That’s all he saw.” That connection reflected something Mike and Racquel understand well through their work with veterans: People feel safer when they feel seen. In that emergency room, they felt seen, heard and supported. Mike is a Navy veteran, and he and Racquel have built their work around service, hospitality and helping others find connection. Trust matters “We live in Houston, where the options for medical care are endless,” Racquel says. “But options don’t always mean opportunity.” At the time of Mike’s emergency, the couple were considering a move to Southwest Louisiana. They knew what it meant to have access to big-city healthcare resources. But after Mike’s emergency visit, their opinion of the care available in Lake Charles became crystal clear. For Racquel, the difference was not only the availability of care at Memorial, it was the way care was delivered—with clear communication, urgency, compassion and respect. The experience helped give the couple confidence that Lake Charles Memorial could support Mike’s healthcare needs. It also reinforced what they already believed: Access matters, but trust matters just as much. For Mike, the visit was another reminder of the bond veterans often carry with one another. For Racquel, it was the reassurance of knowing that in a crisis, the local emergency team responded with skill and genuine concern. Confidence in local care Through Once Was Inc., Mike and Racquel help veterans find resources, support and a stronger sense of belonging. After their experience at Memorial, Lake Charles became part of that story for them too. In a moment they never expected, they found confidence in local care—care that measured up not because it was in a larger city, but because it was personal, responsive and present when they needed it most. As they look toward the future, Mike and Racquel continue helping veterans become anchored in the communities they call home. And now, when they talk about Lake Charles, they talk about more than opportunity. That confidence is especially meaningful as they prepare to make Lake Charles home, knowing quality care is close by if they need it. They talk about trust. They talk about connection. And they talk about the emergency care that helped them feel supported when it mattered most.
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