Steven Malz

For Steven Malz, giving back was a way of life. As a retired barber, he continued his passion by volunteering at nursing homes, providing haircuts to residents. He also spent time as a caregiver, helping those in need. When he wasn’t lending a hand, Steven enjoyed the outdoors, often hunting, fishing, and working in his yard. He lived an independent and active life with his wife—until a sudden health crisis changed everything.

After a fall at home, Steven was found weak and confused. Tests revealed that he had influenza, and his condition quickly worsened. He required a ventilator to breathe and developed septic shock, acute kidney failure, and multi-organ failure. He was placed on dialysis and also diagnosed with a non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), a type of heart attack, during his hospital stay.

To continue his recovery, Steven was referred to Vibra Hospital of Fargo, a critical care hospital that specializes in treating medically complex patients. At that time, Steven was still on a ventilator and was unable to follow commands or participate in therapy. Entirely dependent on others for care and mobility, his road to recovery seemed long and uncertain.

With the support of his care team, Steven began to make progress. He was successfully weaned off the ventilator, and as his strength improved, he started participating in therapy. His determination grew daily, and by the time he was ready for the next phase of his recovery, he had made remarkable strides.

Steven could walk 50 feet with a walker, perform self-care tasks with minimal assistance, and had discontinued dialysis. His confusion had resolved, and he was back on a regular diet.

His inspiring attitude was evident in his words to the Vibra Hospital team:

“I wanted to work for them as much as I wanted to work for myself.”

We are honored to have been a part of Steven’s recovery journey and wish him continued success and happiness!