While attending Florida State University, Sue Hassmiller learned that a devastating earthquake had struck Mexico City, where her parents were traveling.

“I had heard about the earthquake on the news, and I didn't know what to do,” Sue said. “I dialed zero for the operator and I said, ‘My parents are in Mexico City. I don't know what to do,' and they said, ‘I can't help, but I know an organization that can.'”

The operator connected Sue with a Red Cross volunteer who helped locate her parents and confirm they were safe. That act of compassion left a lasting impression. Determined to give back, Sue walked into a local American Red Cross office and offered to serve in any way she could.

“I said, ‘You don't know me, but you helped bring my parents home from an earthquake, and I am here to do whatever I can to help this amazing organization.'”

Nearly 50 years later, that promise grew into a lifetime of service. Recently, Sue celebrated five decades of service with the American Red Cross, a milestone reached by only a select group of dedicated humanitarians.

As a young registered nurse, Sue began teaching Red Cross first aid and CPR classes. She soon expanded her volunteer work to support military families through emergency communications, financial assistance and social service referrals. Over the years, she responded to major disasters, including the Sept. 11 attacks, helping people navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Her dedication led her to governance roles across the organization. She chaired local and state Red Cross boards, served on the American Red Cross National Board of Governors and helped oversee the Red Cross 9/11 Fund. Today, she serves as board chair of the Greater Triangle Area Chapter, helping guide the organization's work in North Carolina.

Along the way, Sue found another avenue for service through philanthropy. She helped establish the Tiffany Circle in the New Jersey region, creating opportunities for women to strengthen the Red Cross through giving, service and leadership.

“I thought it was a very interesting idea that there would be a group for women in the Red Cross so they can devote their time and their treasures to our mission,” Sue said. “But beyond the women and the treasures they donate, it's such a lovely, wonderful and extraordinary group of women leaders who support one another and, in doing so, support the organization.”

As a dedicated Tiffany Circle member, Sue has continued to champion philanthropy and volunteerism while helping inspire future generations of Red Cross supporters.

While her volunteer service alone would be remarkable, Sue's influence extends far beyond the organization. A nationally recognized nursing leader, she spent 25 years at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation advancing nursing education, health equity and health care transformation. She helped lead the groundbreaking National Academy of Medicine reports on the Future of Nursing and directed the nationwide Campaign for Action initiative, which worked to improve health outcomes through nursing leadership.

Her contributions earned some of nursing's highest honors, including the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international honor awarded to a nurse by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Even with her many accomplishments, Sue often returns to a simple belief: service matters. She has described volunteering as both a privilege and a calling, explaining that helping others has enriched her life as much as it has impacted those she serves.

“I would love to be known for the heart that I have had for this organization,” Sue said. “The way that I have been able to give to this organization has been so much greater than anything I have done in my lifetime. I have given my time, my treasures, my talents and, most of all, my heart.”

After 50 years of service, Sue Hassmiller's legacy can be found in the volunteers she has inspired, the leaders she has mentored, and the countless lives touched by the Red Cross.