TAMPA, Fla. — Mauricio Henao is a true, uplifting hero at Tampa General Hospital.
But to do his job — and he does it very well, one of the very best there is — he doesn't have to enter the hospital at all.
In fact, all his magic happens outside.
Henao is the kind, compassionate Valet King.
"With my job, you have to understand that a lot of people are here because something is going wrong," said the 46-year-old from Colombia. "So you have to try to make them smile, make them forget just a little bit what's going on in their lives."
For 22 years, Henao has been the very first face, the very first smile, people see when they pull up to the hospital.
Sometimes he'll smile, open a car door and say, "Welcome to Hawaii!" Sometimes he'll give a hug.
He's been offered sweet gigs on the inside, but he's turned them down. He's needed out here.
He's met very famous people, and he's driven their very expensive cars.
But the thrill for him, after more than two decades of running the TGH valet service, is connecting with people and letting them know he truly cares about their journey.
"From the moment they see me, from the very beginning, you have to let people know that you care about them," he said. "We all need that."
His motto, which he tries to pass on to the junior valets just learning the ropes, is a simple one: "Life is beautiful."
