LEWISTON, ME — A Central Maine Healthcare (CMH) anesthesiology technician’s transportation challenges have come to an end, thanks to his fellow team members.

Corie Hubbard has been at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) for less than a year and didn’t tell anyone he was unable to get reliable transportation to and from work.

“It was very challenging, and I almost gave up hope,” Hubbard said. “Even though I was trying to get ahead, every time I came close to buying a car, something else would happen.”

Once his colleagues found out he was silently struggling with transportation, Tina Moring, CRNA, and the entire CMMC perioperative team decided to pool their money. Their hope was to raise $5,000- enough to buy a vehicle that could at least get Corie to and from work.

“Corie is wonderful. He never misses a day of work and is always so positive,” Moring said. “In just 10 days, we raised $11,000. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of his team members as well as other staff who barely knew him.”

Tina did some car shopping and found a 2015 Nissan Rogue. With money left over, they paid for vehicle registration and six months of insurance. She and a crowd of surgeons, nurses, technicians and others surprised Corie in the hospital garage.

“It felt like a dream. It was mind-blowing,” Hubbard said. “I have never cried so much in my life. The first day I drove to work it was so freeing. I drove with the windows down and the wind felt incredible.

“I am so grateful and so humbled. To see all of the people who made this happen for me. I want everyone to know what they did. I want everyone to know the kind of place this is and the kind of people who work here. It’s been life changing.”