UMC employees recall heroism during Aug. 3 shooting response

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Monday, University Medical Center of El Paso reflected on seven years of healing. UMC was one of two hospitals in El Paso that received victims of the Aug. 3 shooting.

UMC's trauma center cared for 15 patients, including an infant and a transferred patient, the hospital said.

The hospital held a moment of silence in remembrance of those affected by the shooting and shared the stories of seven UMC employees whose lives were shaped by that day.

Michael Kennedy, Certified RN III, ICU

Serving as administrator on duty on Aug. 3, Michael Kennedy remembers how quickly everything unfolded. Within 45 minutes, the emergency department was caring for 14 trauma patients, UMC said.

"It was a beautiful thing to see everyone do exactly what they were trained to do for so long, and they just got to work. It was a beautiful thing to see other professionals who were trained for the worst things imaginable do really good things together," he said.

April Senclair, Certified RN III, ICU

April Senclair was attending a coworker's baby shower when emergency alerts appeared on her phone: "Mass casualty incident, multiple Level 1 traumas."

"I realized that, day-to-day in my work, these were not just patients. This was my community that was affected," Senclair said.

The fear and heartbreak she felt came from knowing the people in those hospital rooms were more than patients. They were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends, neighbors, and loved ones.

She recalled thinking to herself, "Everyone in this room means something to someone.”

Silvia Ogaz, Supervisor, Environmental Services

Silvia Ogaz walked through the hospital when she received the call. At first, she thought she had misunderstood.

Within moments, she moved from floor to floor, calling members of her Environmental Services team to report to UMC’s Emergency Department.

Seven years later, Ogaz said she saw the strength she saw in the people around her and within herself.

"Before, I thought I was a weak person, but that day, I saw myself and my coworkers being so, so strong," Ogaz said.

Juan Torres, Linen Associate, Laundry Services

Juan Torres was working in Laundry Services when he received a call from Ogaz. The emergency department needed scrubs, blankets and towels, UMC said.

It took months before he felt comfortable going into a Walmart again. Still, he continued coming in to work each day alongside his team -- a reminder of the many ways people continued showing up for one another in the years that followed.

"I speak about my department, but heroes could be found throughout the hospital," Torres said.

Jaime Vasquez, Paramedic, Emergency Department

In 2019, Jaime Vasquez worked as a paramedic for both the fire department and UMC. On Aug. 3, he was assigned to a firetruck when reports of an active shooter came across the radio.

Although he was not scheduled to work at UMC that day, he felt compelled to go.

Vasquez found a renewed sense of purpose, reinforcing not only why he chose a career as a first responder, but where he felt he was meant to serve.

That realization ultimately led him to join UMC full-time, the hospital said.

Nancy McGrail, Admin. Director, Service Excellence, Patient Experience

Nancy McGrail served as director of UMC's Emergency Department on Aug. 3 when she received a call at home from paramedic Vasquez, who was working with the El Paso Fire Department that day.

Nancy said this year was the first since 2019 that she felt a sense of peace returning to the trauma bays. Now, she works in UMC’s Patient Experience Department.

“We got in there and did not give up,” McGrail said. “You can't give up in those situations. You have to follow through.”

Though she was not born and raised in El Paso, the compassion and resilience she witnessed in the aftermath of Aug. 3 changed the way she saw the city, UMC said.

Alejandra Carzoli, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

On Aug. 3, Alejandra Carzoli worked as a charge nurse in UMC's Emergency Department. She remembered seeing a police officer trying to open the doors of the ambulance bay that morning, UMC said. He had driven a patient from the shooting to the hospital.

The experience remained with her and ultimately solidified her decision to pursue a career in mental health, leading her to return to school just one year later, UMC said.

“After Aug. 3, I realized there's a lot of aftermath when people live through something so traumatic. That's what made me make the final decision that I wanted to work with people who have PTSD or underlying mental health problems,” Carzoli said.