From the time the school bell rings, Suzette Tindall is on her feet. Children bustle into the clinic, looking for relief from a stinging cut or medicine to bring down a boiling fever. But that does not rattle this 65-year-old nurse’s composure in the slightest.
“I like helping people,” Tindall said.
And that is one of the qualities that her husband of 31 years admires most about her.
“She treats her patients like they’re her own family,” Steven Tindall said.
The youngest of five, Tindall was born in Florida to a religious upper class family. She attended various Catholic schools in the Sunshine State before continuing her education at Duchesne College and Convent of the Sacred Heart in Omaha, Neb.
After educating thousands of students, the college closed its doors in the 1960s. She then transferred to Maryville College and Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis.
Tindall enjoyed theatre and thought about obtaining a degree in music. But after considering her prospects in Florida, she changed her mind.
“It had one main street, two pharmacies, maybe two or three hardware stores and a paper. Other than that there wasn’t much commerce. The only businesses that existed in the large frame were cattle ranching and citrus groves,” Tindall said.
Her adventurous spirit led her to apply for the World Campus Afloat, a unique study program that allows students to travel the world by ship while earning college credits. She was accepted and spent six months of her junior year abroad, traveling everywhere from South America to Europe.
“When I came back, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I loved theatre and voice, but Florida didn’t have much back then. I couldn’t see myself singing in bars,” Tindall said.
Although she was not always set on a career in the medical field, she soon followed in her father’s footsteps. Tindall’s passion for helping people encouraged her to pursue a degree in nursing at Central Florida Community College, now known as the College of Central Florida. She graduated in 1973.
Before her career as a nurse at Reedy Creek Elementary, Tindall worked in Central Florida emergency rooms, including Kissimmee Memorial Hospital and Orlando Regional Medical Center. Her father worked as a doctor in a nearby hospital.
“I was beat by the end of the day. But nursing is a wonderful profession because it makes you feel useful, especially when you make a difference,” Tindall said.
But in 2000, her life took a drastic turn.
At the age of 50, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, the third most common cancer among women worldwide, according to the National Cancer Institute. Her son Marshall was only 10 years old.
But that was not the worst of it.
“When they opened me up, I had ovarian cancer. And it was advanced. I don’t know how I survived. But I did,” Tindall said.
Among women in the United States, over 20,000 are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. It causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For treatment, Tindall received chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
“It teaches you a tremendous amount of resilience because you have to make it. That’s the whole key to surviving,” Tindall said.
The months that followed were difficult. Her free-spiritedness was tested by her lack of energy. She decided to call a counselor.
“To this day, I don’t even remember her name,” Tindall said.
Tindall spoke with the woman three times. Each phone call only lasted for an hour. The counselor told her that a strong support system was the key to fighting and beating cancer. She needed to let go of the people in her life that did not make her laugh in order to make room for those who brightened her days with positivity and hope. That advice resonated with Tindall.
“When you get cancer, it puts all of your values in the proper perspective. Everything that life is about gets in real sharp focus,” Tindall said.
As a nurse, Tindall witnessed suffering on a daily basis. She had seen people struggle, including her father, who died from bone cancer at 83 years old. But now Tindall was no longer helping patients, she was a patient. And her struggle was unlike anything she had faced before.
“It was the loneliest time of my life. No one can go through the treatments for you,” Tindall said.
Despite the physical and emotional pain, Tindall still clung to a glimmer of hope. Today, she attributes her experience with cancer to teaching her the importance of kindness and changing her outlook on life.
“You don’t take anything with you when you die. You’re the same as when you came into this world — you didn’t have a damn thing. Life is about choices and being kind. What you do comes back to haunt you. So, you better make good ones,” Tindall said.
She has also developed a deeper appreciation for people since her battle with cancer.
“You go into a store looking for something, and someone takes the time to help you. That’s called gratitude. And that’s what cancer gave me. It taught me not to take people for granted. When you’re young, you have a tendency to do that. Not so much when you get older,” Tindall said.
In March 2008, Tindall decided to apply her skills elsewhere. Her love for children prompted her to seek employment at Reedy Creek Elementary, located in her hometown of Kissimmee, Fla.
“I love the people there with all my heart,” Tindall said.
And they love her too.
Tindall works alongside an office staff of strong, well-educated people, including twelve women and one man. They come from different backgrounds. Some began their education careers by working as teachers and deans for various elementary, middle and high schools. Others served as volunteers and classroom assistants before being hired at Reedy Creek Elementary.
“She always has the kids’ best interest at heart. And she doesn’t just take care of the kids, she takes care of everyone at this school,” said Assistant Principal Nicole Burda.
Her candidness is equally as admirable.
“If you want some straight talk, she’s going to give it to you. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Burda said.
And she is right.
“Suzette calls it like she sees it, whether it’s politically correct or not. Not a lot of people have the courage to do that,” Speech Therapist Patricia Hordubay said.
But it is her sense of humor and quick wit that makes her enjoyable to work with.
“She’s a very colorful person. She’ll come up with funny things to say that will catch you off guard and make you laugh,” Hordubay said.
Even the students pick up on it.
“She makes a lot of jokes,” Andrew Peters, an 11-year-old fourth grader at Reedy Creek Elementary, said.
Peters knows his school nurse better than most students since his mother works across the hall from her.
“She has this glow about her,” Secretary Missy Peters said. “She’s compassionate about her work and it shows. She goes the extra mile for everything,” she added.
Receptionist Jacqueline Mainer bonded with Tindall instantly.
“I think she is such a joy. I clicked with her from day one and she clicked with me as well. She’s such a kind, loving and giving person,” Mainer said.
From her desk, Mainer has a clear view of Tindall’s office. Every day, she sees her caring for students, speaking with concerned parents and joking with her fellow coworkers.
“It’s hard to find someone who genuinely cares about a person’s well-being. We’re not going to find anyone to take her place,” Mainer said.
Hordubay agreed with her.
During her 28 years at Reedy Creek Elementary, she has seen many people come and go. But it will be especially difficult to see Tindall leave.
“She is a really strong child advocate. If there’s something not going right for the kids, she’s going to step in and take care of it. She’s the righter of wrongs for the staff too,” Hordubay said.
Tindall is set to retire in October. As a native Floridian, she is accustomed to the warm sunshine and looks forward to spending more time outside enjoying nature. Nevertheless, the thought of leaving Reedy Creek Elementary evokes bittersweet emotions.
“I will miss these people terribly. I’ve grown to really love them,” Tindall said.
But retirement will not be the end of her career as a nurse. She plans on volunteering for the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, an organization that strives to provide shelter and services for the elderly.
“People always ask me why I became a nurse. It’s more than putting on a band aid. You have to make decisions. You fulfill the need that people have, and that’s what makes the difference. I tell them if they don’t enjoy making a difference or helping people, then they’re in the wrong profession,” Tindall said.
