Sentara Northern Virginia nurse fulfills family’s wish with sacred Everest tribute

Nurses are known for going above and beyond for their patients. Boryana Peeva, an ICU nurse at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, went 17,500 feet up for one of hers.

In October 2025, Peeva was preparing for a long-planned trip to Nepal, where she planned to climb to Mount Everest Base Camp. The day before her trip, she cared for Laxmi Lama, who was in the final stages of life. After her death, the family mentioned to Peeva that their mother and grandmother was from Nepal, where the country’s mountains are revered as sacred. When they discovered Peeva was heading to Everest, they cut a strip of fabric from one of Lama’s pillowcases and asked Peeva to take it to Base Camp and leave it there. It would be, the family said, a way to bring her home. 

Peeva brought the cloth to an area on Everest where people leave remembrances of and for loved ones. The Nepalese guide offered prayers, and Peeva placed the cloth on the mountain. The guide explained that Lama’s spirit was now home and had found peace. When she returned, Peeva shared photos and videos of the moment. Days later, she received a message from Lama’s granddaughter. 

“Ms. Boryana, thank you so much for taking her home with you so she didn’t have to make this journey alone. We will always be grateful." Read more and see photos of Peeva’s journey here.