A REMARKABLE STORY
Stephen Shooster - I was contacted by Koren McKenzie on Facebook after my dad passed away. She said she used to work for Ding-a-Ling Answering Service in the late 1980s, while we still had switchboards. She told me my dad was a great leader and role model for her. She recalled how Herman would speak of her as one of his best people. During her time at Ding-a-Ling, she got pregnant. My sister Wendy was pregnant, too. Herman and Wendy visited her at the hospi- tal. They wanted to make sure she knew they cared about her, and that everything was going to be okay, and that she shouldn’t worry about work. They assured her that her job would be there when she was ready to return. The timing of these soothing words could not have been more perfect. She had been crying through the night, petrified not know- ing whether her baby girl was going to die. Koren 19 at the time said, their mere presence made her feel more peaceful and secure. Her daughter was due to be born on Nov. 18th, 1988. Instead, she was born three months premature on Aug. 15th, 1988. She weighed 2 lbs., 2 oz. Her lungs were underdeveloped, and her life hung by a thread. The doctors recom- mended an experimental treatment. Plantation General Hospital was conduct- ing an experiment with a surfactant that would protect the baby Ashley’s lungs. It was a scary decision. She acquiesced. The most common problem for a prema- ture baby is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), also known as hyaline membrane disease (HMD). A baby develops RDS when its lungs do not produce sufficient amounts of surfactant to keep the tiny air sacs in the lung open. She survived! Koren got a medical bill. It was nearly 2 million dollars. Remarkably, the insurance provided by Ding-a-Ling paid the entire bill. Koren returned to work after nearly one year. Herman was gracious to allow her to select a
Koren McKensie with baby Ashley. 1988
Koren McKensie with Ashley. 1994 - 1997.
work schedule that gave her the flexibility to take care of her baby and attend college full- time. She said this experience taught her early on that great leaders can still make money, show compassion, and take care of their people. 1997, Koren McKenzie eventually received her law and MBA degrees simultaneously. Today, work as a commerical real estate lawyer for the federal government. Koren McKensie, “Thank God your company had great health insurance!”
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