What began as a personal goal became a journey to keep a promise as an ICU nurse carries a patient’s memory 4,700 meters up Mount Everest.
Whether she’s navigating unfamiliar forests with only a map and compass or climbing high on Mount Everest, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center nurse Boryana Peeva has always been a problem solver. After losing her father two years earlier and needing a way to support herself and her mother, Peeva began working in the intensive care unit. At just 20 years old, fresh out of medical college in Bulgaria, Peeva was drawn to the complexity of ICU work. The daily problems she encountered reminded her of the decision-making and problem-solving she had once practiced in math school. “I started in ICU because I felt that’s my place,” Peeva said.
Key takeaways
- The bigger picture: Boryana Peeva, a nurse at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, combined two defining aspects of her life into a single journey of purpose, carrying a piece of a patient’s pillowcase to a memorial site high in the mountains of Nepal.
- More details: Peeva began her ICU career at just 20 years old in Bulgaria after losing her father. A Bulgarian champion of Orienteering as a teenager, she set her sights on Everest at age 14 after learning of the first Bulgarian to climb it.
- Why this matters: Peeva’s story is a powerful reminder that the most meaningful acts of compassion often go unnoticed. Her decision to honor a dying patient’s connection to Nepal turned a personal achievement into something far greater than herself.
The first time she thought about Everest
Long before she found a home in the ICU, Peeva was used to pushing herself physically and mentally. As a teenager, Peeva became a Bulgarian champion of Orienteering, a sport that requires running in unfamiliar woods with minimal tools. At 14, when news broke that ChristoProdanov had become the first Bulgarian to climb Mount Everest but not survive the descent,
Peeva set her sights on the mountain and never turned away. When asked if climbing Everest had been a bucket list goal since childhood, Peeva didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” she said. “One day, I will experience this — and I’ll go with respect, also.”
As she grew older, Peeva began to understand what climbing Everest would require. She knew that athleticism or training was not enough to accomplish what she wanted, but rather something more — mental endurance. Persistently training during the day and thinking about the climb through the night, Peeva believed her mindset was what distinguished her.
The final hours
The day before leaving for Nepal, Peeva was reassigned to a new patient, Laxmi Lama, who died soon after their meeting. Aware of the many distinct traditions for honoring those who have passed across cultures, Peeva asked the family if there were any rituals she could follow. It was in that conversation she learned that Lama and her family were from Nepal. Peeva knew the importance of being returned to your own soil, to your own country’s air, and wanted to do anything she could to make this possible for Lama. The family suggested she bring a small piece of cloth from Lama’s pillowcase with her on her travels. For Peeva, the decision was made: “And I said right then, ‘I can bring it to this memorial place high in the mountains.’”
The weight of this decision gave her journey a new meaning. Every morning and every night, Peeva ensured she had two things: her American passport, and the envelope that held the slip of cloth. She refused to even imagine losing either of the two, choosing instead to share her task with her Nepalese expedition leader, who told her he knew exactly where she should lay the cloth to rest.
Climbing Everest
As Peeva gained altitude, the journey became increasingly difficult. Nearing the memorial site, she sustained an injury, threatening her confidence about whether she’d be able to continue. “But I said, ‘no, I’m going to go on my elbows if I must, but I’ll continue,’” she said. “I’ll get there. I don’t know how, but I’ll get there – and I did.”
Led by her expedition guide, Peeva placed the cloth at a special memorial site at 4,700 meters, a moment she described as spiritual.
As Nepalese words were spoken over the cloth, the moment was recorded on video and shared with the family that day. Lama’s granddaughter informed Peeva the memorial service was held the day before and she was able to share with others how this special cloth was being taken to a special place in Nepal. Something made possible because of Peeva’s effort.
“There was so much meaning in that,” Peeva said.
The ICU and everyday life
Peeva doesn’t complain. Not about food, not about the weather or the mental toll of the ICU. Working amidst life and death since she was 20 years old, Peeva lives each day with joy and thankfulness for what she has, saying that although things will be sad at times, they must continue on. “This is how to live a life taking care of people,” she said.
For Peeva, whether in the ICU or high in the mountains, the work is the same: identifying what needs to be done and finding a way to do it.
“When you work, you know it’s you doing good things,” Peeva said. “It’s just like it’s coming from your heart.”
