PITTSBURGH — Doctor Idris Evans was a highly regarded critical care doctor at UPMC Children’s Hospital. Channel 11 spoke with a former patient of his today who says he was wonderful.
“He was overall just a great person. He was very genuine. He would have conversations with my mom and I remember her telling me that he was just such a nice person,” Anna Shaffer said.
Dr. Idris Evans was a critical care doctor at Children’s Hospital when Anna Shaffer was admitted in 2022. She had complications from the flu that led to double pneumonia and sepsis. When Doctor Evans was put on her care team, Anna was in a coma and on life support.
“Dr. Idris was one of the first doctors to want to get me a CT scan, which is a big part of how my journey started. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t like actually be where I am,” Shaffer explained.
The moment was so paramount - it made its way into a book Anna’s mother wrote about Anna’s 7-month stay at Children’s Hospital.
“He was like a big part of the communication skills and knowing what to do with me and how to proceed with everything that was going on,” Shaffer said.
She says his level of care was unmatched and he remembered her case.
She said, “He was just a very sweet guy and he was friends with everybody. I can’t imagine what they’re going through down at the hospital.”
Anna’s mom had told Dr. Evans she was praying for a miracle and after Anna was healed, he popped into a conference to say hello to her mother.
“He wasn’t even a part of it, but he came down just to tell my mom that she got her miracle that day and she felt very touched and he was so sweet and she said, ‘You’re not even staying,’ and he said, ‘No, just wanted to let you know that you got your miracle,’” she said.
Edgewood plans to host a candlelight vigil for Dr. Evans on Sunday, October 4, from 4-6 p.m. at the Western Pennsylvania School for the deaf.
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