When people are dying, they often travel through a full spectrum of emotions — sadness, anger, fear, relief, even joy. There’s no one way to experience dying, but one of the most essential tenets of hospice care is this: there is no judgment.
Those who work at Hospice Austin — whether they’re nurses, aides, counselors, volunteers, or administrators — carry with them stories that leave an imprint far beyond the bedside. Some of those stories reflect sorrow and pain. But often, it’s the unexpected moments of beauty that quietly shape us. It’s the flashes of peace, humor, connection, and resilience that remind us what it means to truly live.
Jere is one of those unforgettable Hospice Austin patients.
She’s an adventurer who’s visited all seven continents. As the Travel Director for The Texas Exes, she organized and led travel groups. She cultivated a deep love for Cuban culture after visiting the island in 2013. She’s a single mother, a proud grandmother, and a curator of artwork — some of her grandson’s creations hang proudly in her room.
But it’s not just Jere’s travels that connect people to her. It’s the serendipitous way her life intersects with others. Years ago, she purchased artwork on a beach in Galveston. Decades later, she decided to hang it in her room at Hospice Austin’s Christopher House — not knowing that a volunteer would instantly recognize it as the work of a close friend.
And when Swan Songs – Austin, a local organization that fulfills musical wishes for hospice patients, asked Jere what she’d like to hear, her request was specific: Cuban music. They delivered. Her room came alive with rhythm, laughter, and soul. The drummer that day was from Cuba, and the pair got to reminisce about a culture they both deeply cherished.
Jere didn’t just have a concert that day — she had a party. There was sangria, charcuterie, dancing, and joy. Pure joy.
Yes, Jere is dying. But she says it best: “It’s hard to believe that’s the reason I’m here… but when people are sad about that, I remind them that we’re all dying.”
The staff and volunteers who meet Jere won’t ever forget her. Not because of her diagnosis, but because of her fierce celebration of life.
Hospice Austin is where people go to die. But more importantly, it’s where people go to be seen. To be honored. To live — until the very end.