Ebie Bruno McCord’s nursing career reached new altitudes recently, launching an exciting new chapter in her journey. Only a few weeks ago, Ebie (LCA Class of 2017) began her tenure as Flight Nurse with Air Evac Lifeteam 117, based in Snellville.
Becoming a flight nurse first interested Ebie in high school, but the goal resurfaced earlier in 2025. When her brother was hospitalized, Ebie communicated with a Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta flight nurse about transporting him. Once her brother was in the clear, Ebie’s interest in flight nursing was “reignited.” From there, everything seemed to fall into place.
Ebie said, “It's kind of always been in the back of my mind, but I think things lined up exactly how they should. The contacts came, the ride-alongs came, the interviews came, everything fell into place. Specifically, AEL 117 in Snellville is exactly where I need to be. The people there are amazing. I am learning so much, and I am so excited to grow in my career. Things really do workout just like they need to. Looking back on my life from high school until now, it truly is a testament to see how God had His hand in everything.”
Following her high school graduation, Ebie earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2021. For four and a half years, she worked in the Neuro/Surgical/Trauma Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Northside Hospital Gwinnett. Ebie has also earned numerous certifications throughout her career: Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN), and she is currently pursuing her Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) credential.
Beyond the credentials, however, Ebie’s mission as a nurse runs deeper. In fact, she remains diligent—no matter what role she serves in—to show Christ to others. “By the way that I carry myself and work hard and talk with my families and patients- I try to show them Jesus. That way, maybe they’ll say, ‘Oh, there’s something different. That nurse is different,’” Ebie said. “I can’t really just sit there and tell people about the gospel. So, instead, I try to show Jesus through my actions, not necessarily my words, and simply care for people the best way I know how.”
Two primary influences initially inspired Ebie’s nursing career. The first is her mother, Stephanie Bruno, who has been a nurse at LCA for 19 years. “She led by example, whether she thinks she did or not,” Ebie said. “She’s awesome. And she doesn’t do it because she wants approval. She does it because she genuinely cares about people. Although she’s not working in the NICU anymore, she is an amazing school nurse and I’m just proud of her. I told her, ‘If I’m ever just half the nurse that you are one day, I’ll be happy.’”
Over time, Ebie’s answer to “Why do you want to be a nurse?” evolved from “because of my mom” to “because it’s something I want to do.” The turning point came during her senior project, when she volunteered in a research program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She worked there during the summers and later presented her takeaways to the LCA staff. That experience “sparked some interest” for Ebie as well.
Additionally, Ebie credited Mr. Mike Davis’s medical terminology course as an influence, along with her English teacher, Mrs. Mimi Westbrook. Mrs. Westbrook’s “perfectionist” approach to writing helped Ebie earn a perfect score on her SAT essay. Ebie still does plenty of writing—and typing—in her career, and she remains grateful for Mrs. Westbrook’s teaching.
Outside the classroom, Ebie was deeply involved in extracurricular activities during her 12 years as a Lion. She was a cheerleader, a member of the swim and soccer teams, and ran cross country for one year. She also received a five-sport letterman award while at LCA.
Today, Ebie has been married to her husband, Jesse McCord, for two years. They have four cats, two of which are “LCA cats.” Because of that, Ebie feels like she always carries a part of LCA with her.
From her days at LCA to now, soaring through the skies as a flight nurse, Ebie’s heart has always been set on caring for others—even when the path forward wasn’t always clear. At different points, she explored becoming a teacher, a hairdresser, or going into business. Ultimately, she could never picture herself doing anything other than nursing. Once she set her mind to it, her nursing school experience became much smoother.
Those times of uncertainty also shaped Ebie’s biggest piece of advice for current and future LCA students.
“It’s OK to have doubts about your future, but I promise you- God has a plan. Similarly, don’t ever go into something saying ‘This is what I’m going to do,’ because God has a funny way of just turning things around,” Ebie said. “And just because God says ‘no’ now, doesn’t mean He won’t say ‘yes’ later on, and vice versa. With that being said, He may never say ‘yes’, but I still believe He knows what He’s doing. God will open doors where they need to be opened and shut doors where they need to be closed. You may or may not ever figure out why, either. That’s where trusting Him comes into play. And once you do ‘find your thing’, just remember it’s not necessarily going to be easy. But, I think if you work hard, you will see the return of that later.”