Life Changing Is ... Making a Difference

Vic H., Parking Liaison

"I want to make a difference in a lot of people's lives at UPMC. That's what I'm going to do."

Vic spends his days helping others, and it's what he loves to do.

As a parking liaison at UPMC Mercy Pavilion, Vic meets and greets patients and visitors all day. From when he arrives in the morning until he leaves at night, he's interacting with everyone he can.

"I like to meet people; I'm a people person," he says. "I like to connect with people on a personal level. I like to get to know their story. It's very interesting, some of these people's stories of how they end up at this place."

Before coming to UPMC Mercy Pavilion, Vic worked as a valet and in customer service at a Pittsburgh hotel. He came to UPMC Mercy Pavilion after it opened in spring 2023.

UPMC Mercy Pavilion is a first-of-its-kind facility that provides top-line care for vision and rehabilitation patients.

"We are very blessed to have this in our city," Vic says. "We are very blessed to have UPMC in our city. I get people that come down from Erie, from West Virginia — I even have people coming from Seattle, Wash., just to get seen at this facility."

In many ways, Vic is the front door of UPMC Mercy Pavilion. He's often the first person that people see when they arrive. He takes pride in that responsibility.

"It means the world to me," he says. "I love being the first impression. I love being right there when they come through that door and (telling them) they’re in the best place they could be, that they're in good hands when they come in here."

He likes knowing that he helps people just by being a comforting, warm presence.

"It gives you the most amazing feeling in the world," he says.

Over time, Vic has built relationships with many patients who visit UPMC for ongoing vision care, rehabilitation care, or sometimes both. He's learned about the conditions they're working through, and he enjoys hearing about their progress.

"I like to hear people’s stories, like how they end up like they are," he says. "How did you get to this point in life? And these are some very interesting stories."

Vic sees many people who are going through difficult times, but he wants them to know they have a promising future. And he hopes he can be part of the positive impact that UPMC has in their lives.

"You know what I really want to accomplish?" he says. "I want to make a difference in a lot of people's lives at UPMC. That's what I'm going to do. I want to be a difference.

"You never know what a person may be thinking. I want them to still want to be positive. ... For the next five years, I want to see all these people go on and live productive lives. And if I'm a part of it, I think that's even better."

At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means having a positive impact on people's lives.

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