Nursing diploma fulfills woman's dream

SANDUSKY — Michelle Porcher still recalls the compassionate care her late aunt, Phyllis Gysan, provided to each and every patient she encountered. "No matter the situation, she had this great empathy for the people she cared for," Porcher said about Gysan, who worked for many years locally in health care. "She's my biggest inspiration. I have just always wanted to be a nurse, and when I was a kid, I looked up to her." An observant Porcher noticed Gysan's bedside manner with patients: "She listened. She was kind. She had a big heart," said Porcher, a 2006 Perkins High School graduate who resides in Sandusky today. These long-lasting memories and impressionable traits served as unwavering motivation in helping Porcher achieve her greatest professional achievement to date. Congrats to the grad Porcher represented one of 28 students who graduated from the Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing on Friday. During the ceremony, at BGSU Firelands in Huron Township, Porcher received two shout-outs. She earned the school's: • Exemplary Attendance Award; This honor is given to those who rarely, if ever, miss a class or lesson throughout their entire enrollment, generally spanning two years. • Firelands Health Professional Growth and Commitment Award; This honor is given to a graduate who has developed a relationship with Firelands Health: first as an employee and, later, as a student. This person must also show professional growth and commitment while balancing work with school. For the past 12 years, Porcher has served as a patient care technician, otherwise known as an aide, at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. She worked elsewhere for the prior eight years before transitioning to Firelands after receiving encouragement from two nurses at her former workplace. "I like working for Firelands," said Porcher, who worked night shifts while juggling her daytime responsibilities at nursing school along with many other obligations as a mother and wife. "I like the three-day, 12-hour shifts, and you can get a lot of experience and variety in who and how you care for people. And that's what I really enjoy about it here. I just like taking care of people." Changing careers During the past few years, many life factors happened, spurring Porcher to consider a career change from aide to nurse. For starters, after her mom, Florence Gast, unexpectedly passed away in 2019, she became the primary caregiver for her dad, Alvin Gast, up until his death in 2021. Similar to Gysan — who passed away in 2025 and also worked as a home health registered nurse — Porcher gained a newfound appreciation for the field when looking after her father. Then her two children, teenagers David E. and Aaron, reached ages where she felt comfortable enough to leave them at home while she pursued a career change. And she received steadfast support from her husband, David B., to follow her dreams. "I also gained a lot of knowledge working as an aide and just wanted to take it a step further," she said. So Porcher enrolled in the school of nursing where she excelled throughout her entire time there. "She is a caring, detail-oriented person who is really focused on doing things the right way," nursing school director Dawn Wikel said. "She's going to be an excellent nurse, one that fits all the characteristics that you would want to see." Porcher intends to stay at Firelands Regional Medical Center, soon working as a nurse there. "I'm just so proud to be following in my aunt's footsteps," said Porcher, noting Gysan attended this very school, previously known as the Providence Hospital School of Nursing. "I just wish she and my parents were there at my graduation. I know they would be very excited for me because they have known I have wanted to do this ever since I was a kid." Porcher also expressed her appreciation for the school, a place she called welcoming and supportive of anyone who seeks to become a nurse. "It's not intimidating at all," Porcher said. "The instructors are here for the students who want them to succeed and learn, and they are very helpful." Porcher's sons beamed with pride, watching their mom walk across the stage to accept her pin — a rite of passage for nurses who graduate. The pin serves as a symbol for the school's dedication to excellence, tradition and the graduate's commitment to patient care. And just like how Gysan inspired Porcher, maybe the same holds true for the next generation in their family. "I just want my sons to know that it doesn't matter how old you are: You can fulfill your dreams at any age if you work hard. If you do, you can get to where you want to be."