The Focht Family

Working together might be a deal breaker for some families, but not the Fochts, who work at ChristianaCare’s Center for Rehabilitation at Wilmington Hospital.

For spouses Jeffrey and Mary Focht, PT, who usually share a car ride from home to Wilmington Hospital, and Jeffrey’s mother, Lorraine Focht, RN, CCRN, who sometimes joins the couple for lunch or dinner after their shifts end, working is just one more way they serve together – literally – with love and excellence.

Each of the Fochts has a specific role in the rehab center caring for patients recovering from serious illnesses and injuries such as stroke, brain injury and limb loss.

Lorraine is a case manager who helps with patient discharge planning. Mary is a physical therapist and Jeffrey is a rehabilitation aide. Each of them is drawn to the opportunity to help people get stronger and rebuild their skills so they can return to their homes and loved ones.

Lorraine said that when she’s talking with a patient she can usually tell when her daughter-in-law is their physical therapist. From the descriptions of their therapy sessions, she’s come to recognize Mary’s signature optimism and penchant for helping a patient to see they can do more than they think.

“And they just all talk so highly of her, of course, because she is an awesome person,” Lorraine said.

For her part, Mary looks to her mother-in-law as an example of how a caregiver puts ChristianaCare’s values and behaviors into action, especially when it comes to staying true to her word and following through on commitments.

“She’s a case manager who is always willing to help,” she said. “Lorraine helps you to remember the reason why we work so hard – for our patients.”

A mystery date

Cupid’s arrow has a way of landing in the most unlikely of places. For Mary and Jeffrey, love struck in the halls of Wilmington Hospital, where their friendly chats eventually blossomed into something more in 2019. The couple, who married in September 2021, initially kept their romance under wraps — even from Lorraine, who suspected her son was dating someone, but didn’t know who.

“He smiled a lot. His mood was light. He seemed to have something going on. I said, ‘Is it somebody I know?’ He told me no. I didn’t believe him, so I quizzed my son-in-law because they were hanging out together. ‘Did he say a girl’s name?’” Lorraine said, laughing.

The big reveal came a few weeks later at the Creamery in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Lorraine nudged Jeffrey about bringing his new girlfriend for the family to meet. Mary and Jeffrey were nervous about how Lorraine might react to being kept out of the loop about their relationship.

Turns out, they needn’t have worried.

“When Mary walked in, I was super surprised. And happy. I always say I loved her first because I’ve always thought she is so great,” Lorraine said. “My son sure lucked out.”

Keeping it real – like a family

For Mary, working in the same department with her mother-in-law has strengthened her commitment to caring for her patients. Although she and Jeff drive in together most days, she actually sees  Lorraine more at work than her husband. Lorraine is a valuable sounding board on tough days and one of Mary’s loudest cheerleaders celebrating her patient victories.

“They met the love of their lives at ChristianaCare. Work changed their lives, truly,” Lorraine said.

“When I started seeing Jeff, everyone said, ‘Lorraine is going to be the best mother-in-law.’ And she really is.”

While some families might strain over the shared work experience, Lorraine said the experience has brought them together in a way that they wouldn’t trade for anything.

“To me, family is everything,” said Lorraine, who started nursing school after her children were born.

Always grateful for the place where their love took root, Mary and Jeffrey even gave ChristianaCare a shoutout during their nuptials.

“They met the love of their lives at ChristianaCare. Work changed their lives, truly,” Lorraine said.

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