CORAL SPRINGS, FLA. (WSVN) - When it comes to work, it’s a family affair for a South Florida father and daughter who are employed by the same hospital, a place that holds a special place in both their hearts.
It takes a lot of work to keep Broward Health Coral Springs running smoothly. It is senior service mechanic Matt Arnold’s job to help keep the heart of the hospital pumping day in and day out.
“We do [heating, ventilation and air conditioning], we do plumbing, we do electric work, we do construction. Anything that’s needed that needs to be repaired,” he said.
Arnold, who has worked at the hospital since 2004, scours the building for issues and gets them fixed fast.
“We have fans inside that chill the water,” he said as he showed 7News around the building.
But while Arnold helps keep the hospital going, there’s a piece of him inside that makes him happy to be at work every single day.
“My daughter is very special — goal oriented, very driven,” he said.
Maiah Arnold works as a registered nurse at Broward Health Coral Springs.
“We’re both really hardworking, I would say. We both need to have a lot of patience with our job and dependable and caring,” she said.
Maiah has proven herself to be just as hard of a worker as her father. She also takes college classes at night.
“I listened to everything they said. School was my priority,” she said.
That priority has paid off. The Arnolds work closely together. While Matt takes care of the building, Maiah helps people get better.
Matt said he could not be prouder.
“There is nothing better in life than to see your children succeed,” he said.
It hasn’t always been easy.
“When she was born, she had Erb’s palsy, where they stretched the nerves in her arm,” said Matt, “so she spent two weeks in the [neonatal intensive care unit]. She had to get a complete blood transfusion. The doctor wasn’t sure if she would be brain damaged or not.”
Matt said his faith helped them through the ordeal.
“The times that were tough, we would come together and pray about certain things and to ask Father God to push her through,” he said.
All these years later, he makes sure everyone knows who his daughter is.
“He lets everybody know that he’s my dad, too. It never fails, and everybody knows him,” said Maiah.
And he is still delivering the best advice.
“He’s always told me, ‘Never let anybody make you feel any type of way. Do your job, focus on your job. Don’t let anybody tear you down, bring you down,'” said Maiah.
Matt said it’s advice fathers everywhere can give to their children.
“Enjoy every moment, spend time with your child, invest in your child. Teach your child the right way because nobody loves your child like you do, and if you don’t teach them, then the streets will,” he said.
Maiah was also born at Broward Health Coral Springs and said she hopes to help deliver babies someday.
Matt said it’s important for him to be so involved in her life, because he didn’t have a father growing up.
The two said they meet up for coffee or lunch whenever their shifts allow.
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