A Journey to Healing: The Wright-Justice Family’s Story

Anita Wright-Justice and her husband, Thomas Wright-Justice, have always trusted Adventist Health Howard Memorial Hospital with their care, and as our team was in the hall working on a project, we were happy to hear that an experience in previous years only deepened their appreciation for the team here which has kept them coming to us for care for years.

Thomas, who lives with Anita in Redway, CA, suffered a severed tendon in his hand and initially sought help at a hospital in Humboldt. After waiting for four hours in the Emergency Department, they were told he would need to travel to Willits for proper treatment. They then turned to our team at Howard Memorial and drove down to the emergency department—and from the moment they arrived, they felt truly cared for.

By 6:30 a.m., Thomas was seen by Dr. Bowen and prepped for emergency surgery. Meanwhile, the compassionate staff made sure Anita was comfortable while she waited. "The staff bought me breakfast at Roots, and even took me to a private room with a bed, giving me a couple of warm blankets so I could get some sleep while I waited for Thomas to get out of surgery," Anita shared.

Both Anita and Thomas were deeply grateful for the level of care they received, with Thomas remarking that they have had nothing but great experiences at Howard Memorial for years. "We love it here!" Anita said, expressing their gratitude for a hospital that treats them like family.

As Anita was getting ready to part ways from us, she appeared emotional and shared one final thought: "You know what always makes me feel the best about coming here for care? It’s that I can leave knowing we are being looked after well, and I am confident in the care we received."

Thomas went on to say that Dr. Bowen did a beautiful recovery and reattachment of his tendon in his thumb, as seen with evidence in the photo and his thumbs up.

Anita’s words as well as the gratitude from Thomas for the great care he received, are a testament to the dedication of our team—always putting patients first and providing compassionate care when it’s needed most.

At Howard Memorial, we believe in going beyond just providing care—we believe in delivering comfort, compassion, and peace of mind. Stories like Anita and Thomas’s remind us that we are Made for More—more than just medicine, more than just procedures. We are made to be a place of healing, trust, and unwavering support for every patient who walks through our doors.

Thank you, Anita and Thomas, for sharing your story. We’re so grateful we were here to help!