The room was crowded and filled with not only friends and colleagues, but also laughter and tears. Approximately 100 people gathered at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center on Monday, June 21 to give Jerry Waikins, MD, general practice physician, a warm send off.

Waikins has been practicing in the Daytona Beach area for more than 30 years and is closing his practice, located at 1130 Beville Road, to work at the William V. Chappell, Jr. VA Outpatient Clinic, 551 National Health Care Drive, Daytona Beach.  He will discontinue his active community practice on June 30.

“We’re sad to see you leave, but happy to share you with our nation’s veterans” said Kimberly Rogers, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center Associate VP/Executive Director of Health Care Partners.

During the evening, patients and colleagues shared lighthearted stories about Dr. Waikins, like his love for Disney World and ultimate career aspiration to be one of the theme park’s monorail drivers. They also shared some more serious stories that tugged on everyone’s heartstrings.

“Dr. Waikins saved my husband’s life,” said Phyllis Stubblefield, a Ponce Inlet resident who has been Dr. Waikins’ patient for more than 10 years. “He [husband, Lloyd Stubblefield] had a terrible headache for three or four days. I called Dr. Waikins’ office and his staff squeezed us in that day.  He took one look at Lloyd and sent him to get a CT scan right away. It turns out Lloyd had a brain bleed. I just don’t know if he’d still be alive without Dr. Waikins.”

Another patient shared her personal story of how becoming Dr. Waikins’ patient 17 years ago changed her life.

“I had a chronic cough that last more than six months. My doctor at the time had done all kinds of tests on me and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. When he said he was going to start looking at my brain, I decided to look for another doctor,” said Angela R. Lait, Port Orange resident.  “Dr. Waikins changed my blood pressure medication, and two weeks later, I was completely better.”

Juliann Jamison, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center Clinical Documentation Specialist, has known Dr. Waikins for nearly 20 years, working with him in a local Emergency Room in the late 1980s. Her thoughts seemed to reflect what everyone was feeling that night.

“I can’t imagine a better person to take care of our veterans,” Jamison said.