Even without his tall stature, endoscopy technician Clay Gay would still stand out. “I like to laugh, make fun of myself – anything to make you feel comfortable,” he admits of his outgoing personality which he says is a perfect fit at Hillcrest South. “When patients come to the hospital, they’re nervous. I like to make them laugh. It calms them down and makes them feel at home.”
Hillcrest South has been Clay’s home for the last 10 years as he has grown in his career from certified nurse assistant to transporter technician and endoscopy technician. His infectious way of connecting with others has not only caught the attention of patients, but also his peers and hospital leadership. This year, Clay was recognized at the hospital-wide employee service awards reception as the 2016 Health Care Hero of the Year – a moment the witty jokester wasn’t quite prepared for.
“I cried,” he shares. “It touched my heart. You can work anywhere and do anything, but when you really like your job, it means a lot. Here I’m not a number. The CEO or the CNO will come by and ask how you are doing. They make you feel at home.”
Once Clay had a few moments to let the honor of Health Care Hero of the Year sink in, he was back to his ways – posing for pictures with hospital leadership, including Hillcrest South CEO Lynn Mergen. He doesn’t take himself too seriously for too long and that’s by design.
“I learned it from my grandmother,” Clay says of where his comedic sense of humor originated. “She would always mess with me or tease me. She was very playful. She loved to see me laugh. I always remembered that and brought that with me.”
Working in health care, Clay knew that if he could put others at ease they might feel at home like he did with his grandmother. Naturally, the best way to do that was to make others laugh – not what many patients expect when they have to say goodbye to their loved ones as they’re wheeled back for a procedure. Many of the procedures Clay assists with scan for life-changing conditions like cancer. “I can talk to anyone,” he adds. “I just try to figure people out, find out where they are from. If they’re happy, I’m happy.”
Happiness is contagious around Clay and he says being recognized as the Health Care Hero of the Year should be as well. “I feel that we all deserve it,” he says. “There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. We are all heroes. I see it.”
Clay may have a lot to share, but it comes straight from the heart. “The only thing I can say is thank you and thank God for allowing me to be here this long,” he says. “I’d also like to thank my daughter, Diamond, my son, DeAntoine, my mother, Elise, my girlfriend, Vanessa, and Dr. Mreyoud and Dr. Lynch.”
Top photo: Hillcrest South CEO Lynn Mergen with Clay Gay
Middle photo: Hillcrest South leadership team presents Clay Gay with the 2016 Health Care Hero of the Year award.
Bottom photo: Clay Gay with his 2016 Health Care Hero of the Year award.