Early in the morning on January 17, our hearts were shattered when we learned that Dave had passed away unexpectedly from a cardiac event at his home in Saint Paul, MN. As we try to make sense of his passing at only 38 years old, we find comfort in the many memories of his smile and humor that he freely shared throughout life. 

Dave had a huge heart and cared deeply for the young patients in his care. In honor of Dave's memory and the work that he did, we are raising funds to directly support patients at Children's.

From Cassie DuFresnse, BSN, RN, CPN, CPEN, TCRN - Dave's supervisor and friend:

"To describe Dave’s career at Children’s Minnesota, one word comes to mind – impactful.  Dave started at Children’s Minnesota in April of 2012 as a CSA (Clinical Support Associate) in the Minneapolis Float Team.  From day one, Dave made an impact on his co-workers where he began making life-long friends.  After completing his nursing degree, Dave entered the new grad transition to practice program, and was a nurse in the Critical Care Float Team in Minneapolis.  It was no surprise, given Dave’s knowledge and personality, that he was quickly drawn to the Level 1 Trauma, Pediatric Emergency Department, and started working there in October of 2016.  During his time in the ER, Dave became a trauma nurse, a mentor, a preceptor, a charge nurse, a friend, and a part of an unspoken family that formed a truly unbreakable bond.  If you had a question, Dave was there to answer it (and if for some odd reason he didn’t know the answer, he would help you find it – he never stopped learning which only made him even more amazing!).  If you had a bad opinion, Dave was there to challenge it.  If you were having a hard shift, or a tough time, Dave was there to support you.  If you needed a laugh or distraction, Dave was there with a joke.  Dave was all around, one of the most loveable, supportive and helpful nurses in the ER – just ask any of his co-workers.  The impact he had on his work family was immeasurable; his presence, invaluable.  In February of 2023, Dave made a leap of faith and decided to try out the Vascular Access Team in Minneapolis.  Of course, Dave’s ability to catch on quickly, and his uncanny ability to be so smart at everything, proved him to be a tremendous asset to the VA team.  Dave’s kind and compassionate demeanor, paired with his love of teaching others and sharing his knowledge attested to the fact that he made an amazing VA nurse that the entire hospital loved seeing show up to their patient’s room.   

Spending over 12 years of impacting those that worked beside him, is only a fraction of what Dave accomplished working at Children’s Minnesota.  Countless patients and families received care from Dave; care that was filled with kindness, compassion, grace, expertise and love.  There is no book in nursing school to teach you this kind of care, it was innate to Dave, and he was darn good at it!  Dave saved lives, but he also touched souls, made things less scary for patients and families, and he truly made an impact on those he cared for.   

It is nurses and human beings like Dave that make Children’s such a wonderful place to work.  His smile will forever be remembered, and his impact will never be forgotten." 

About Dave