MINT HILL, NC – Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center continues to mourn the loss of beloved Guest Services Representative Tim Gorski, who unexpectedly passed away on February 18, 2023, at the age of 60.

Tim interviewed at Mint Hill Medical Center before the hospital opened it’s doors.  Coming off a short term job working in customer service at Lowe’s, Tim amazed Guest Services Manager Jovanna Ham at his interview.  “He made his customer service role at Lowe’s fit so well with the type of customer service and guest experiences we wanted our patients, families, and visitors to have at Mint Hill,” recalls Ham.

Tim had never worked in Health Care before, but you’d never know that from the way he did his job.  “Once he was hired, I truly was blown away with the amount of interest he put into learning,” said Ham.  “He did the most computer-based learnings I’ve ever seen!  He wasn’t required to do that, but he was interested in learning about our facility and making sure that he had all the knowledge to run this place smoothly.”

When the hospital opened in October of 2018, Tim quickly became known as “the face of the front desk.”  After just two short years at the hospital, Tim was promoted to Guest Services Lead.

“Anticipating patients’ needs was one of his best assets,” recalls Ham.  “There was a patient that needed assistance getting in the building.  I gave Tim that info, and he had the wheelchair available for that patient when he arrived.  The patient had recurring appointments, and every day Tim would look to see if that patient was scheduled, and he would have the wheelchair ready and be outside waiting for him to pull up so he could get him in and up to his appointment.”

“That’s just Tim, going above and beyond,” says Ham.  Tim could be counted on to complete simple tasks that made a real difference at the hospital, like taking pride in how the front desk looked or making sure the team had what they needed for the next shift.  He provided essential help in training volunteers, many of whom are still at MHMC today.

“Tim epitomized hospitality,” says Chaplain Mark Rumsey, who worked with Tim for about two years.  “He would go the extra steps, walking a guest toward the elevators or walking someone down the hall from our front desk to where my office is located.  He could have just pointed people in a direction, but whenever possible, he took those extra steps to accompany them and to personalize their experience here at the hospital.” 

Ultimately, it’s not the work Tim did but the way he did it that made a difference at Mint Hill Medical Center.  “When he passed away, we felt a void because the front desk was not the same,” says Ham.  “I often hear team members saying, ‘I miss Tim saying good morning.’  He called everybody by their name; he remembered the team members’ names and their patients, especially the recurring patients.  He was a friend to everybody here.”

Tim’s friendship made a difference for Chaplain Rumsey when he came down with COVID just six months into his tenure at Mint Hill Medical Center.  “The day that I came back to work, I was still feeling unwell physically, and there was the emotional side of coming back into a workplace that I was really just beginning to settle into,” said Rumsey.  “Tim showed up at my door in his classic way and stuck his head in and said, ‘Hey, Mark, welcome back.’  It was in one way the simplest of gestures, and in another way it was as profound and meaningful as it could be.  Just the genuineness of it made me feel like I was back where I did belong and that everything was going to be OK.”

Shortly before Tim’s passing, Guest Services was selected by Mint Hill Medical Center for the “Heart of the Hill” award, which is presented to a department that culturally represents Mint Hill.  “What that means for our facility is taking care of our patients, their families, and our visitors, providing the remarkable care that we do,” explains Ham, and for Ham, that culture started at the front desk, with Tim’s smiling face.  

In addition to being an irreplaceable coworker, Tim was also a husband of almost 35 years, a father of two, and a grandfather to his sweet little Hannah, whom he loved to talk about whenever he got the chance.  His daughter Sarah and her husband Mark are also Novant Health team members in the finance and pharmacy departments.

“Daily, Tim greeted the community and welcomed them to Mint Hill Medical Center,” says Mint Hill Medical Center President Joy Greear.  “He created authentic relationships with our patients. He was always kind, caring, and he could carry on a casual conversation with anyone he met.  He truly set the high standards for our Guest Services team, and I know we will continue to carry that forward as we honor Tim’s legacy.  He will be greatly missed.”