Death in Springtime

An expression of shocked grief, a phone thrust into my hands, and the words falling on disbelieving ears: “She won't be at work tomorrow. She's dead.” An accident had cut short the life of one of my interns. The story was tragic: last day of vacation, bags packed, a friend waiting at the hotel, and one final jog before a long flight home. A speeding car, a distracted runner, and an unfamiliar city combined to produce massive injuries; an ambulance rescue; intensive resuscitation; respirator support; and, ultimately, recognition of brain death. With her stunned parents at her bedside, the machines were stopped, and she left us.

She stood out among the housestaff. Her appearance was striking, yet she had an unassuming warmth and a palpable vitality. A hint …