SPOKANE, Wash. – As Mother’s Day approaches, NonStop Local highlights stories of local moms who dedicate their lives to both family and community. Among them are Trooper Heather Axtman and Dr. Lacey Marks.
Trooper Heather Axtman from the Washington State Patrol has been serving for 17 years.
Whether at home with her kids or working in the community, her goal remains the same: to care for people. She first fell in love with the idea of becoming a trooper during a ride-along.
Axtman enjoys helping people and sees her role as a unique opportunity to serve. She also appreciates the adrenaline rush of the job.
Though her work is not always easy, Trooper Axtman has witnessed many tragedies on the roadways and has comforted victims through their grief.
She listens without judgment, ensuring those she encounters never feel alone.
“In order to be with those that have had truly their worst day that they anybody could imagine. Just be there, be there with open arms, have hugged a lot of people that I’ll never know their name, but I will always remember their face,” she said.
When Axtman removes her badge, she is like any other mom, cooking dinner and tucking her kids in bed. She plans to celebrate Mother’s Day early with her family on Saturday, as she will be serving the community on Sunday.
Dr. Lacey Marks, an OBGYN at MultiCare Deaconess, has delivered countless babies over her nearly 20-year career.
She cherishes providing new mothers with resources and comfort during unpredictable delivery room experiences.
Dr. Marks supports women throughout their lives with regular medical checkups and delivers babies, whether or not the mother has a support system present.
She draws on her experience as a mother to support women through challenging times.
“Providing that type of care and forming those types of relationships with women is really what kind of drives my own personal satisfaction of what I do every day. And it’s kind of what keeps me going on a daily basis,” Dr. Marks stated.
Dr. Marks is currently in Germany with her youngest son for a friend’s wedding. She plans to send pictures to her family for Mother’s Day.
