North Alabama Shoals Hospital Names 2025 Mercy Award Winner

MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama – North Alabama Shoals Hospital announced that Phillip Fretwell, director of facilities at Shoals Hospital, has been recognized as the hospital’s 2025 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.

Fretwell has served at the former Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital and Shoals Hospital for more than four decades. He was hired in 1983 and has developed a reputation for having professional excellence as well as personal integrity.

“Phillip’s commitment to making a difference extends far beyond this hospital,” said Braxton Holloway, Chief Operating Officer at North Alabama Shoals Hospital. “His leadership is grounded in service. In every setting, Phillip acts with kindness and purpose, uplifting others with a quiet strength and a generous spirit.”

Fretwell has been a member of Woodward Avenue Baptist Church for decades, serving as a Deacon for nearly 30 years and as Deacon Chairman twice. He has devoted his time to multiple mission trips, most recently assisting hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina last year.

“Phillip has served as a mentor and anchor for new leaders across our organization,” added Terry True, Chief Medical Officer at Shoals Hospital. “He leads not through position, but through presence—showing up consistently, listening generously, and modeling what it means to lead with heart. His steadfast dedication, moral leadership, and compassion for others have shaped not only the physical foundation of our hospital, but the very culture of our caregiving community. He exemplifies everything the Mercy Award represents.”

Each facility winner, including North Alabama Shoals Hospital, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2024 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in August.