Serving During the Storm
By Debra Noel

When the National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Irma was forecast to be a direct hit on the Tampa Bay area, most of us secured our own homes, and many sought safety in community shelters.

Not Chris Pryslak, who has been employed by St. Petersburg General Hospital for the last 19 years. A veteran of the culinary department, Pryslak is a dishwasher and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) food tray server.

After contacting his supervisor and offering to work so that other hospital employees could be home with their families, Pryslak packed basic essentials and began an exhaustive four-day, three-night adventure where he made his bed on a mattress in a storage room. Waking each morning at 6:30 a.m., he worked the 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. shift alongside ICU staff and patients who admired the way Chris carried out his duties in a kind and gentle way.

When Pryslak was pondering his options of where to seek shelter, longtime Supported Living Coach Steve McMahon encouraged him to offer his services at the hospital. After weathering the ordeal, Pryslak confided to his coach that he was glad to have done it, but he was in need of some well-deserved rest!

Pryslak has received Supported Employment and Supported Living services for several years through the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

A veteran of the culinary department, Pryslak is a dishwasher and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) food tray server.