Lori Wood, an ICU nurse, went beyond hospital walls to bring healing to Jonathon Pinkard.

Pinkard, 27, was living in a men's shelter with no friends or family.

"I was born and raised with my grandmother and she passed away in 2012," he says.

In December 2018, Pinkard had already been in an out of the hospital for several months and was told he needed a new heart.

Wood soon learned that Pinkard would not be placed on the transplant list because he had no one to care for him after the surgery.

She says, "When you're a nurse and you're wanting to fix and help people, that can be very frustrating if you know a patient needs something and for whatever reason, they can't have it or receive it."

Wood soon befriended Pinkard, visited with him, and asked him if she could become his legal guardian. If he accepted, he would live with her and not be alone after surgery.

"I think at some point, God places people in situations in your life and you have a choice to do something about it and for me there was no choice," says Wood.

"It wasn't something that I struggled about, it was something that had to happen, he had to come home with me."

Pinkard accepted her offer and had his heart transplant in August 2019.

In addition to helping with his medications and doctor’s appointments, Wood is also teaching Pinkard life skills so he can eventually live on his own.

Pinkard says, "Ms. Lori has been awesome and she is very lovable to me and not only to me but her son as well. They treat me like family. I'm really thankful and if it wasn't for her, I would not be the person I am today.

"It's kind of emotional, yet at the same time, this has been a life journey for me.”