Latest news with #Jordan'sFurniture
CBS News
17-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Nurse inspired to work at hospital that treated father now running Boston Marathon to support them
A nurse inspired to work at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital after they treated her father's brain injuries will be running for the hospital this Monday in the Boston Marathon. When Walter Rehak arrived at Spaulding in the back of an ambulance, he had recovered from the worst of his physical injuries. Rehak had survived a rollover crash in Peabody in January 2020. A medical helicopter lifted him from the highway to the hospital where he spent 10 days in a coma. Rehak broke his neck and his nose. He had a nasty gash on his forehead. He also had a Traumatic Brain Injury as a result of the impact. His daughter Sarah Rehak remembers one of the first hopeful signs as he emerged from the coma. "His eyes were still shut and he said, 'Hi, my girl.' And I was like…I lost it. Because I was like, OK, you know that that's what you still call me, you can speak, you remember," said Sarah. In that moment, Sarah knew that her dad remembered their nicknames. He knew who she was. Once he was transferred to Spaulding (part of Mass General Brigham), there were many more hopeful signs. Sarah, who was working as a health care administrator at Boston Children's Hospital at the time, watched his interaction with his doctors, nurses, and therapists. The care he received and the progress he made was striking. "Spaulding did give me hope that he would be OK," said Sarah. "Everyone was so friendly with him, he had his therapist that he loved and all his friends that are the employees. And just the change that they made day-to-day, I was like, I want to do this." It also lit a passion for patient care that inspired a career change. Because of her father's experience and recovery, Sarah left her job as a health care administrator at Boston Children's Hospital, went back to school full-time, and graduated with a nursing degree from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2023. She applied for a position at Spaulding even before graduation. The team with an open position was, incredibly, on the hospital's brain injury floor. Sarah began caring for patients where her father relearned the life skills to go home. Rehak remembers how therapists prepared him for life after rehab. "They said I needed speech therapy. I realize now it was brain therapy. They made me put together a schedule for a delivery from Jordan's Furniture. They made me figure out how to take the T from here to there. So, as much as that was my speech therapy, it was really making me think. If you're a Traumatic Brain Injury patient, you've gotta learn how to think," said Rehak. These days, he thinks about how fortunate he is to have recovered so well. Now two years on the job, Sarah knows she is where she is meant to be. "I just feel so at home," she said, smiling. "All the nurses. All the therapists. We work so well together. We are all so connected…I really enjoy coming to work every day. I love my patients, I just want to be the person that can give them a little light, a little optimism." Sharing her family's story often puts patients at ease in a frightening time. "I think it helps them because I've truly been through it. I know how scared they are," said Sarah. Nursing Director Mariana Parga, RN points to Sarah's sunny demeanor as another superpower. "She's always happy. And she has this great story to tell of her dad's success which helps them feel that they can also succeed here. So I think that's truly special," said Parga. Pointing out her dad's old room, 720, Sarah laughs that she and her family used to consider the room the "penthouse" because of its corner position and its view of the Tobin Bridge. Her dad used to watch the traffic on the bridge so that his visitors knew when to make the drive to Spaulding. "Depending on the situation, I'll share my story with the patient who's in that room," said Sarah. One of Sarah's patients is 20-year-old Theo Visco, who came to Spaulding after a skiing accident. "When I first got here, I couldn't even move my right side at all," said Visco. "And now I'm basically walking." He said the consistent support is key. "It just means a lot to actually have that one-on-one connection with someone." On Marathon Monday, Sarah will cross a bridge of her own, from "casual runner" to marathoner. When Spaulding put out the call for Boston Marathon bib number applications, Sarah applied. When she got word that she had been accepted, she was overwhelmed with emotion. "I started crying happy tears and ran into my boss' office. We were just jumping up and down!" Her next thought? "I've gotta start training!" As one of 70 runners on Spaulding's Race for Rehab team, she is also fundraising for the hospital. To date, the team has raised $700,000 on its way to a $950,000 goal. Sarah's dad will be at Mile 16 on the Wellesley-Newton border to cheer her on. His journey to wellness now complete, Sarah said she will dedicate her marathon to the patients at Spaulding who are working to regain their strength right now. "I think me and my family see it as kind of a legacy thing from a standpoint of this is where I got well, started my journey to wellness," said Rehak. "And I think she sees the good that's done here." "They've all gone through traumatic health scares and injuries. And I just want to be the person who can give them a little light, a little optimism that the hardest parts are, hopefully, now over and they're starting their recovery."
CBS News
03-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Eliot Tatelman retiring as face of Jordan's Furniture brand
The president and public face of a well-known New England company is stepping aside. Jordan's Furniture announced Thursday that Eliot Tatelman "is retiring from daily operations after decades as the face of the brand." Jordan's says this is a "natural evolution in its leadership," as Tatelman's sons will be taking over. Josh and Michael Tatelman have been co-CEOs for the past five years. "Jordan's remains proudly family-run, with Josh and Michael continuing the legacy Eliot has built," the company said in a statement. "This transition ensures continued focus on innovation, customer experience, and community impact." According to a profile in the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame, Eliot Tatelman and his brother Barry took over the family business in the 1970s when it had just five employees. They became a ubiquitous presence on TV and radio commercials, and the company went beyond just selling furniture by adding IMAX theaters, an Enchanted Village and other attractions to its stores. The brothers sold Jordan's Furniture to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate in 1999, and rewarded store employees with 50 cents for every hour that they had been with the company. They continued to run Jordan's together until Barry stepped away in 2006 to start a Broadway production company. In one of the company's more famous promotions, Jordan's gave away more than $30 million worth of free furniture in 2007 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. Jordan's also supports numerous local charities in New England, and has helped hundreds of foster children find adoptive families . Jordan's locations can be found in Avon, Natick, and Reading, Massachusetts, as well as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Eliot stepping down as president of Jordan's Furniture
Eliot Tatelman, president and prominent public face of Jordan's Furniture, is stepping down from the role he's held for decades, a spokesperson for the Dedham-based retail giant told Boston 25 News Thursday. Eliot's sons, Josh and Michael, will assume regular duties managing the day-to-day operations of the eight stores throughout New England. Jordan's Furniture employees were informed of the news in a live announcent Thursday morning. There are no plans for Josh and Michael to appear on-air, but Eliot may still occasionally appear in commercials. Under Eliot's thumb, Jordan's began to mix shopping and entertainment. Customers at the New Haven, Connecticut, store could ride ziplines before picking up a new end table, while those in Natick and Reading could watch Top Gun: Maverick after purchasing a loveseat. Eliot's promotions and giveaways tied to the Red Sox were also a New England cable staple. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
