Hundreds of candles glow in honor of slain nurse, stabbing victims

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - She was killed protecting patients in a place of healing. Monday evening, a hospital glowed as East Texans gathered on the property for a candlelight vigil to remember nurse Gail Sandidge.

Sandidge was among five people injured last Tuesday in an attack at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview.

One of those East Texans, Harris Teel Senior, remains in the hospital nearly a week after this incident.

Monday evening's candlelight vigil at the hospital included a prayer, a hymn, a moment of silence and hundreds of candles glowing in honor of the victims wounded in last week's attack, and for Sandidge who lost her life. 

"She loved the Lord. She knew where she came from, she knew why she was here, and she knew where she was going, and I think that is what her legacy would be," Sandidge's nephew, Stephen Bailey said.

As family and friends continue to grieve, they said they are thankful that so many have heard that legacy.

"I'm thankful that the rest of the world now knows what I've always known and that's how wonderful she was and what her faith meant to her and what she gave," said Sandidge's sister, Debbie Pritchett.

The outpouring of love from not only friends, but strangers who tell family that Sandidge was their nurse and someone they will never forget, comforts this hurting family.

"That just speaks volumes when someone goes through a surgery procedure and they've met somebody for what? How long a time in your life, 30 or 45 minutes? And they impact their life to where they would come out to an event like this to say to the family, 'We are with you, we are supporting you, she touched us,'" Pritchett said.

Family said hope, faith and the support of those around them will get them through each day.

"It doesn't mean that we don't cry, it doesn't mean that we don't ache, it doesn't mean that we don't have those times where we just want to get away, but it's the faith, the faith in God's promises and our savior's promises," Pritchett said.

It's that faith they said, that will allow them to see Sandidge again.

"God called an angel home and our loss is Heaven's gain, and we will see her again, and we will miss her tremendously," Pritchett said.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.