UHD Respiratory Therapist Celebrates a "Double-Dose"

By Office of the President | Mar 6, 2023

Congratulations to UHD Respiratory Therapist, Marie Noel, celebrating the fantastic news that her twin daughters, Gloria, and Victoria Guerrier, were accepted with full scholarships to the fall 2023 Yale University freshman class. This great news has been featured widely on ABC, NBC, and CNN, as well as in local papers.  

Gloria and Victoria excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in every activity they pursued. Both will graduate at the top of their West Hempstead Secondary School Class of 2023 and are named as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Notwithstanding these accomplishments, the athletes—who have earned All-County and All-State honors in track and competed in national competitions—also work part-time jobs while maintaining responsibilities at home.  

Marie Noel immigrated to Brooklyn from Haiti 30 years ago and has proudly served Downstate for 23 years. Working the night shift, Ms. Noel covers UHD’s respiratory needs from the top of the house to the bottom, working the E.R. and ICUs and all the nursing floors. She views Downstate as a second home, finding those she works with, including Respiratory Care director Julie Eason, the staff, coworkers, supervisors, nurses, and doctors, a supportive and encouraging family.  

For Ms. Noel, the best part of her job is witnessing patients’ improvements under her care, especially when they recover quickly and can return home. She also enjoys working with students and sharing tips on managing patients’ respiratory needs.  

Besides Gloria and Victoria, Ms. Noel has two other daughters, each inspired by their parents’ strong work ethic, the family’s emphasis on the importance of education, and their father’s courage. Ms. Noel’s husband, Jonas Guerrier, is a science teacher incapacitated by an incurable and rare nervous system condition that has left him on life support. It is because of him that Gloria and Victoria chose Yale, where they plan to major in Artificial Intelligence and perhaps someday put their learning to use in finding solutions for rare diseases.  

Congratulations to Ms. Noel, Gloria and Victoria, and the entire family. We look forward to learning of extraordinary future accomplishments!