Connie Daniels has dedicated much of her life to caring for others. Born at St. Luke’s Hospital in 1946, she grew up on the South Side of Chicago. The oldest girl in a family of six, Connie always wanted to serve as a nurse in the military. However, after her sister enlisted during the Vietnam War, her mother was adamantly opposed to her following suit.
“I wanted to get into the service to pay for nursing school,” says Connie. “My mother was dead against it.”
Ultimately, she decided to pay for school with a job at a department store, and then she began her career as a civilian. But at 27, her lifelong desire to join the military resurfaced. She enlisted in the Army, where she thrived, caring for her fellow service members with discipline and focus. She started as a Sergeant in an artillery unit and later became an officer. Eventually, she transitioned to a Combat Support Hospital in Chicago, working in medical administration and nursing.
After 22 years of service, Connie retired as a Captain. She settled into retired life, taking cruises and bus trips organized with her church. She also found connection through being active in her nursing sorority and spending more time with her many siblings and other family members. But as she embraced this new chapter, unexpected health issues began to surface.
The symptoms began as back pain and shortness of breath, which were initially misdiagnosed as arthritis and COPD. It wasn’t until a series of tests at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and Northwestern Medicine revealed that her diaphragm had weakened, leading to her ALS diagnosis. “I was shocked,” Connie recalls, reflecting on the moment she learned about her condition. As a nurse and a veteran, she was well-versed in health challenges but never imagined ALS would touch her life.
Connie’s military service shaped how she approached her diagnosis. “You learn to do what you have to do in the moment,” she says, applying the same focus and determination to navigating ALS as she did to caring for patients in her military days. Though ALS has brought physical limitations, her resilience and no-nonsense approach to life remain strong.
One of the biggest challenges Connie has faced is accessing care as a veteran. While the VA provides many resources, the process can often be slow, and the bureaucracy overwhelming. “The VA is great, but it’s not fast,” she says. Connie found herself waiting months for equipment and services that she could access more quickly through the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine, where she connected with the Les Turner ALS Foundation.
Her advice to other veterans and families dealing with ALS is simple: “Be persistent. Don’t give up.” She emphasizes the unpredictability of ALS and the importance of staying focused on getting the care and services needed. “You have to be willing to adjust, because ALS is unpredictable. But staying focused and making those adjustments is how you keep moving forward.”
This Veterans Day, Connie will spend time with her sister, one of the siblings with whom she shared her military journey. They often celebrate together, attending events or simply enjoying the day in each other’s company.
By donating to the Les Turner ALS Foundation, you can help provide critical care, leading-edge research, and much-needed support for veterans like Connie and their families, who are twice as likely to be affected by ALS.
