World War II kept Helena Antonina Dwojakowski in the United States. It also taught her the value of life and helped inspire her to a decades-long career in nursing and providing comfort to others.
Dwojakowski turned 100 last week and family, staff and residents at the Peace Care St. Ann’s nursing home in Jersey City where she lives helped her celebrate the milestone.
Born April 24, 1924 to Polish immigrants, Dwojakowski had plans with her family to return to Poland, but World War II broke out and her brothers joined the U.S. military. During the war, she took care of wounded veterans who had returned home and fell in love with nursing.
Dwojakowski went on to work at Christ Hospital, North Hudson Hospital, Palisades Medical Center after the name change and move from Weehawken to North Bergen, and the former St. Mary Hospital in Hoboken, now the Hoboken University Medical Center.
She also worked at nursing homes such as St. Joseph’s, the Lutheran Home, Palisades Nursing Home and Peace Care St. Ann’s.
