A Matter of Life
Dan Minnick Ball State University nursing instructor
Ailing nursing instructor succeeds in goal to see his daughter graduate from College of Health, vows to continue his fight for life
Faced with multiple life-altering—and potentially life-threatening—chronic illnesses, Dan Minnick vowed to live to see his youngest child, Dawn, graduate from Ball State University.
That day arrived on May 6, 2023, as Mr. Minnick, an instructor of Nursing at Ball State and proud father of three, was in the audience with his family for Spring Commencement ceremonies.
Overcome with joy, Mr. Minnick watched as Dawn graduated from the College of Health’s School of Nursing—just as he did in 1995, and his son, Dustin, did in 2022. Mr. Minnick also participated with Dawn in the Nurse’s Pinning Ceremony the day before Commencement.
In those special moments, happy memories eclipsed the physical pain and his health challenges. He uses a feeding tube and has an implanted pump for administering pain-management medication. He uses a cane, especially when his legs go numb. None of that overshadows Mr. Minnick’s spirit that won’t allow him to stop fighting for his life.
What fortifies his spirit? His family.
Dan Minnick and his family pose after his daughter, Dawn Minnick, graduated in May 2023.
“My wife Sherry is my rock. My children—Dawn, Dustin, and Desiree—are my life. I push on for Sherry and the kids, even though my children are grown,” Mr. Minnick said.
Her husband’s resilience is a source of pride for Sherry Minnick.
“I know there are days when he’s tired—and he’s always in pain, even with the medication,” she said. “I know there are days when he wants to give up. But he gets up and goes about his day. He keeps going.”
Fueled by his love for and from his family, Mr. Minnick’s fight is more than the human instinct to survive. It is this uncommon blend of courage, perseverance and hope he has deployed when he faced other major challenges.
Like when he was homeless during his first year at as a Ball State student, sleeping in his Volkswagen Rabbit with his dog after leaving the U.S. Air Force. For financial reasons, Mr. Minnick was ineligible for GI Bill benefits, he explained.
“At 24 years old, I was homeless for a reason. I couldn’t afford to go to school and have a place to live without overburdening myself with school and working full time,” Mr. Minnick added. “I showered on campus. I ate a lot of uncooked ramen noodles, and vegetables in cans. After a while, a professor at Ball State offered to let me keep my dog in his yard during the daytime.”
He excelled academically at Ball State and was awarded scholarships, making it easier for him to afford housing and tuition. He stayed on his career path and became a registered nurse.
Mr. Minnick said he “fell in love” with the world of healthcare—particularly the work of nurses—when he was a hospital patient for an extended period.
“I was probably 19 years old at this time. I woke up from surgery and I was crying,” he said. “I remember these two people laughing and making fun of me for crying. A nurse took my hand and patted it. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be that person who grabs someone’s hand and comforts them. I wanted to be a nurse.”
His healthcare career spans nearly 30 years, including 19 years as an intensive care unit nurse at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital before moving into healthcare education. Mr. Minnick became a clinical lecturer of Nursing at Ball State in 2019 after teaching elsewhere and getting his master’s degree.
“I figured I could touch the lives of far more patients by teaching 60 nursing students a semester than I could ever do by working as a nurse,” he explained.
As he has navigated his health challenges, Mr. Minnick said his colleagues and others within the College of Health—especially in the School of Nursing—have supported him in many ways.
“They’ve been there for me with words of encouragement. They’ve modified my (work) schedule and adapted so I can succeed professionally and continue making a living,” he said.
In addition to what he offers as an instructor, Dan Minnick’s value to the School of Nursing includes the life lessons he teaches by example, said Dr. Linda Siktberg, professor and director of Ball State’s School of Nursing.
“Amidst Dan’s challenges, he maintains perseverance and resilience,” Dr. Siktberg said. “Dan is an example and inspiration for nursing students and faculty to maintain persistence and focus on their goals when they experience challenges.”
That perseverance and resilience didn’t end when Mr. Minnick achieved his goal of attending his daughter’s graduation.
“I’ve had struggles before and I just keep going,” Mr. Minnick said. “I’ve never given up in my life. I’m going to fight until the very end. I have many blessings—especially my wife, my kids, and my work. And every day that sun comes up, well, that’s a blessing for everyone.”
