Between lectures, clinicals and late-night study sessions, Tynai Burrow and her mother, Tywana, often find themselves quizzing each other — sometimes even competing over who scores higher. It’s a rhythm built on support, a little rivalry and years of shared experience.
But their journey didn’t start in the classroom. It started in hospital rooms, advocating for a loved one.
Now, the two sit side by side at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, pursuing the same Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and often paired together in class. What began as a simple conversation about school became a shared commitment to a calling shaped by years of caregiving, sacrifice and personal growth.
As Mother’s Day approaches, their story is about more than academic ambition. It’s about resilience, second chances and the power of family.
For Tynai, enrolling in nursing school felt like the natural next step. As a certified surgical technologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, she describes herself as “the right hand of the surgeon,” preparing operating rooms and ensuring procedures run smoothly. She previously worked as a traveling surgical tech across the country but returned home to help care for her brother.
Advancing her education, she said, is about expanding her role in patient care.
When she mentioned nursing school, it sparked something unexpected in her mother.
“It was a friendly fire that she put under my feet,” Tywana said.
From the classroom perspective,the bond between Tynai and Tywana stands out. Yasir Eltahir, an associate professor at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, said teaching the pair was both unique and inspiring.
“Teaching a mother and daughter in the same cohort was a truly unique and inspiring experience,” Eltahir said. “They worked seamlessly together with a natural sense of teamwork and mutual respect.” He noted that while the two often arrived and studied side by side, they maintained their independence in the classroom. “They supported each other without relying on one another in a way that compromised independence. Instead, they complemented each other.”
The mother-daughter duo is entering the nursing field at a moment when hospitals are still trying to recover from years of short staffing. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many positions went unfilled. At one point, nearly 1 in 6 hospital jobs across Missouri sat vacant, according to the Missouri Hospital Association, leaving nurses stretched thin and overworked.
Conditions have improved, but the need remains. Fewer positions are going unfilled, yet demand is still high as experienced nurses approach retirement and others consider leaving the profession because of stress and burnout.
For Tywana, the moment felt less like a warning and more like a call. Nursing was never a new idea for her — it was an unfinished one. Despite earning a bachelor’s degree in business, two master’s degrees and working as a certified phlebotomist and real estate agent, she said something always felt incomplete.
“I have all of these titles, but I never felt completed,” she said. “Everything kept reverting back to nursing.”
That feeling was shaped during years at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where her son Mark — Tynai’s brother — was treated for sickle cell disease. The hospital became her “unofficial second home.”
“When he would have his spells, I would tell them, ‘That’s OK, I can do this,’” Tywana said. “I’m a mother first. If he was going through a crisis, I stopped everything.”
Watching the attentiveness and compassion of nurses and doctors left a lasting impression.
“They saved his life,” she said. “And they told me, ‘We need nurses like you.’”
Now that her son is healthy, she said the timing finally feels right.
“Now that I know he can live a healthy life, it’s my time,” she said.
She hopes to return to pediatric care — this time as a nurse — bringing with her the perspective of a parent who has been on the other side.
“I’ll be able to advocate for them and help them understand exactly what is going on,” she said. “The first face patients see is the nurse, so I want to give them a positive experience.”
For Tynai, those same hospital experiences also shaped her path. Balancing full-time work with school hasn’t been easy, but she said having her mother alongside her makes a difference.
“I’m very protective of her,” she said. “But I love that we’re doing this together.”
Eltahir said their presence brought a sense of connection to the entire class. “Their presence brought warmth, humor and a sense of unity to the cohort,” he said, adding that at first, he assumed they were sisters because of their close bond.
Both women, he said, bring distinct strengths shaped by their life experiences. Tywana’s years as a caregiver helped mold her into what he described as an empathetic and purpose-driven student.
“She demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, returning to college after years of caregiving,” he said. “That experience shaped her into a highly empathetic learner, especially passionate about improving care for patients and families facing long-term illnesses.”
Tynai, he added, brings a different but equally valuable energy.
“She brought curiosity, compassion and a strong sense of motivation,” Eltahir said. “She often served as both a source of encouragement and emotional support within their shared academic journey.”
Their shared journey hasn’t been without challenges. For Tywana, returning to school after decades meant adjusting to a completely different learning environment.
“Back then we had encyclopedias, and now everything is tech,” she said.
Still, the two say their bond makes the experience manageable. They study together, keep each other accountable and help each other stay on track.
“She’s my extra set of eyes,” Tynai said.
“Their lived experiences translate into a patient-centered approach that elevates not only their own work, but the learning environment around them,” Eltahir said.
“Their story brings real-world depth to classroom discussions and clinical reflections, grounding theoretical knowledge in lived human experience,” he added. “Students like them help shape a more compassionate, reflective and patient-centered future nursing workforce.”
For their family, the moment carries deeper meaning — a sense of completion after years of putting others first.
Her son, now healthy, calls it a new chapter.
“I’m happy for them. It’s a new chapter in our lives,” he said. “They are a real inspiration.”
Through it all, one thing has remained constant: their connection.
“The togetherness is great,” Tynai said. “She’s my person. I’m her person.”