Stephanie Esterland BSN, RN, OCN of Sandwich, Illinois, is an oncology nurse at RUSH Cancer Center who was driving her son to work on a dark July 2021 morning. On the side of the road, she came upon what she thought might be a yard fire, but instead realized it was a blazing car fire […]
The Heroes Breakfast is hosted annually by the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago to honor individuals and groups for acts of immense bravery, dedication and service to our community. The class of 2023 Red Cross Heroes is an exemplary group of individuals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to build better communities, […]
Executive Director of RISE International, Lynn Cole, is the 2022 Red Cross Global Citizenship Hero Award recipient. During a 1998 trip to Angola with her husband, Andrew, the Coles witnessed the devastating effect of 27 years of civil war in the country and were moved to help. They learned that the after-effects of the civil […]
Dr. Michael A. McGee, M.D., M.P.H. of Crown Point, Indiana is not only an emergency room physician and CEO of Chicago’s first Black-owned urgent care clinic, Premier Urgent Care — he is also the 2022 Red Cross Blood Services Hero Award recipient. During the fall of 2021, Dr. McGee partnered with the Red Cross and […]
Officer Jennifer Maddox of Chicago is a 26-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department as well as the 2022 Red Cross Law Enforcement Hero Award recipient. Working on the south side of Chicago as a police officer, Officer Maddox developed a strong bond with the community and noticed that so many children were fearful to […]
Every spring, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago holds its Heroes Breakfast, honoring local community members who have “demonstrated heroism through extraordinary acts of courage or kindness.” To nominate a hero, visit the Red Cross website and complete a nomination form. Nominations are due Friday, December 31, 2021. “Every year we look forward to […]
Last year on the Saturday before Easter, Robert King, a 20-year automotive sales professional, decided to take the scenic route home from work. He had finished a busy day selling cars and was looking forward to getting home. “I remember the day so clearly. It was a beautiful, sunny evening and I hopped on Lake […]
“What makes you different?” This is a question that nine-year-old Rosie Quinn, whose bubbly and chipper voice espouses much wisdom for her young age, asks when first meeting someone that might be curious about her bald head. Rosie was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, alopecia, at two years old. This occurs when the immune system […]
When Detective Phil Hemmeler of the Palatine Police Department heard the radio call of a car that crashed into a building and caught fire, he jumped in to help, ultimately saving the driver’s life. “The smoke was really starting to fill up in the car and I was trying to hold my breath, trying to […]
Lauren Trylovich is a trained paramedic, emergency phone operator and has been working at the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications for four years. On a regular eight-hour shift Lauren will get 200-300 calls – cardiac arrests, shooting victims, stabbings and injuries are all part of her day to day response. But one intense […]
