LEWISTON, Maine — On Thursday, actor and Lewiston native Patrick Dempsey visited the three victims still recovering from the Lewiston mass shooting at Central Maine Medical Center.
The hospital issued a press release Friday evening noting how Dempsey lifted the spirits of not only those fighting for their lives but also boosted the morale of doctors and nurses who have been caring for them around the clock.
Dempsey stopped by the recovering patients' rooms to speak with them and their families and to wish them well, according to the release.
"What a pleasure it was for all of our team members to have Patrick stop by," Kris Chaisson, RN and chief nursing officer at Central Maine Healthcare, said. "The patients were deeply touched by his visit following this difficult time in their lives. It was wonderful to see the team react to him with smiles that have been dimmed since the event."
"It has always been clear to all of us that, despite his fame, Patrick Dempsey considers the people of this community his family,” Chaisson added.
Since the mass shooting in Lewiston on Oct. 25, three of the 13 patients who were injured remain at CMMC and are now in "stable condition," according to the hospital.
On the night of the fatal shootings, CMMC put together a team of more than a dozen surgeons with expertise in orthopedics, cardiovascular, thoracic, colorectal, plastic, urologic, and general surgery. This team was assisted by more than 100 physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care professionals who are all trained in mass casualty incidents, the release said.
"The doctors, nurses and team members of CMMC extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected by this tragic event," the hospital stated in the release.
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