Grandmother’s Journey Will Restore Your Faith in Dreams — Wait Until You See What She Did at 72

Quick Smiles:

• A determined mom of four refused to let age define her dreams and graduated medical school at 72
• She used her own retirement savings to pursue her lifelong passion after decades as a neonatal nurse practitioner
• Her daughter, meteorologist Ginger Zee, says her mom’s 45 years of hospital experience makes her the ideal doctor

Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft always wanted to be a doctor, but life seemed to have other plans for her. During her younger years, Dawn finished her undergraduate degree and eventually became a neonatal nurse practitioner.

She explained in an essay that after her divorce at 35, she applied to medical school but was denied admission. Dawn married for the second time and had two more children, her youngest born when she was 49.

Although her career and motherhood fulfilled her, her desire to attend medical school remained burning inside.

When her husband suffered a medical emergency, she took that as a sign. In her late 60s, Dawn decided to take the leap.

Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft used savings earmarked for her retirement to attend a medical school in the Caribbean. She’ll begin her residency at a Michigan hospital in July.

Meteorologist Ginger Zee isn’t just Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft’s daughter; she’s also her biggest fan. She told Entertainment Tonight her mother’s conviction makes her proud every single day.

“I always say with tornadoes and meteorology, that when you go to school for it, it’s one thing, but when you storm chase, it’s another,” she said. “That’s how you learn how to be a great meteorologist.”

Ginger added that because her mom has such an extensive medical background, this will be perfect for her.

“And I always use the analogy that if you had a doctor who had never worked on a patient before, you wouldn’t want that doctor, if they were only from a textbook,” she added. “She already had 45 years of being in the hospital setting.”

Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft can’t wait to get started.

“When you have to do it for work … you feel like, ‘I got to do this so that I can pay my rent,’” Dawn told reporters. “I want to do this because I really enjoy this.”

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