The American Ambulance Association [AAA] has awarded a Peoria nurse the 2026 Star of Life, a national award honoring the winner's work with the Greater Peoria Honor Flight [GPHF].
The Stars of Life program celebrates Emergency Medical Services members across the country who go above and beyond for their patients, community and profession. There are 167 honorees this year.
Nicole Hughes is a quality and compliance manager, critical care paramedic and pre-hospital registered nurse with Advanced Medical Transport [AMT] of Central Illinois. She experienced a whirlwind of emotions after getting the 2026 Star of Life. She said it is a huge honor that also left her surprised and shocked.
“I do things out of just wanting to be there and feeling as if it’s what I’m supposed to do, because I’m walking in my purpose,” Hughes said. “I know that a lot of things that I do is in poor recognition. So, then to be recognized for just doing what I feel I should be doing kind of takes you back a little bit, because you’re not expecting it.”
Hughes said she always knew she wanted to work in healthcare. She enlisted in the Army National Guard and became a 68W — a combat medic — which translates to a emergency medical technician in the civilian world. A Peoria native, Hughes joined AMT once her military service ended.
Two years ago, GPHF invited AMT to be part of its medical team. Hughes did not hesitate at the opportunity to work with “a great program,” she said.
Hughes works alongside GPHF Medical Director Tom Myers and coordinates AMT clinicians who volunteer with GPHF. On pre-flight days, they establish areas of concern and discuss things they will be paying particular attention to the next day. During flight days, they have treated anything from minor scrapes and bruises to falls that have led to fractures.
“My biggest goal when I started on my first flight was to make sure I solidified a spot for the rest of my team going forward,” said Hughes. “That was my biggest goal. So that way other people had that same opportunity I had to be a part of that team and make a difference in a different way than we normally are able to pre-hospital wise.”
Hughes said she wants the care she provides veterans to not just be appropriate and sufficient but compassionate. Hughes has familial stakes in veteran care — her grandfather was part of the military and was a major inspiration for her military enlistment — but she said there are also many survivors in that age group who suffer from survivors' guilt.
“There’s a lot of people who struggle with just unhealed emotions,” Hughes said. “When they came home, they weren’t given that love and appreciation that they should.
“So, for me, that’s where that community aspect comes in with the compassion and empathy [and] being able to meet people where they are, which is what we do pre-hospital. To be able to do that with veterans, in a deeper way, that’s the part that keeps bringing me back.”
People would not be who they are without veterans who fought for them and their rights, said Hughes. Therefore, it is a huge reasonability for everyone who can get involved to help veterans nationwide who are suffering these emotional traumas, she said.
Hughes encourages more in the medical field to help the GPHF and all area veteran programs.
“Peoria has a lot of resources that go untouched because people are just unaware,” Hughes said. “To inspire others to get involved and get the word out that we have lots of veterans who need lots of assistance, that would be the biggest goal that I have going forward.”
The AAA will celebrate Stars of Life honorees Nov. 16 – 18 in Washington, D.C. Hughes is skipping the festivities so she can be there for GPHF’s mission to Washington on Nov. 17.
