‘It’s gonna be a good run’

If you ask someone at Tipton Hospital about Lee Resto, you’re bound to hear a story that makes you think he’s been a fixture on the team for years.

In reality, he’s managed to become a beloved colleague in just 9 months.

And if you’re lucky enough to talk to Resto in person, you’ll see why.

Resto’s journey to where he is today is a testament to resilience, dedication and the power of community. Born in Puerto Rico, Resto moved with his family to the United States at age nine, settling in Kokomo.

He finished high school and found a job as an assistant manager at a local car wash. However, inspired by his mother's nursing career and the positive impact she had on her patients, Resto felt a growing intrigue towards nursing.

“My mom’s been a nurse all her life, and I would see people in the community who’d say, ‘your mom was my nurse, she was awesome’ and that intrigued me,” he says. “I love that sense of community that other patient and my mom were able to share with him.”

In 2010, he made a pivotal decision to return to Puerto Rico as an adult, where he pursued a nursing degree at Interamerican University. Graduating in 2013, Lee's nursing career began in Puerto Rico, where he met his wife, also a nurse. Their shared passion for nursing and community service laid a strong foundation for their family.

The devastating impact of Hurricane Maria on the island in 2017 prompted Resto to seek different opportunities for his family. He moved to North Carolina through a nursing agency that facilitated his certification to work in the US. After two years, Lee relocated to Chicago to be closer to his wife’s family, where he gained invaluable experience at a teaching hospital. His time in Chicago was marked by significant professional growth, learning from diverse providers and treating a varied patient population.

In August 2024, Resto returned to Indiana, joining IU Health Tipton Hospital. He quickly earned a stellar reputation for his teamwork and reliability and has seen the IU Health value of Team play out in a way he’d never expected.

His 11-year-old son, Alejandro, has achieved notable success in the sport of boxing, including becoming the Indiana Silver Gloves State Champion and earning podium finishes in national tournaments. Next month, Alejandro will travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Junior Olympics and of course, Resto’s team has his back. An envelope taped to a cabinet in the team’s workspace collects donations big and small from colleagues to help make his dream a reality.

That support—of him as a whole person, no just a co-worker—is part of what makes Resto confident he’s found his fit at Tipton Hospital.

“I feel very I feel like I am a part of a community here, and it's gonna be a good run,” he says. “I feel like this is going to be my home for a very long time.”