The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois is honoring Lauren Trylovich, a city of Chicago emergency phone operator and paramedic as its 2020 Emergency Medical Assistance Hero.
Last October, Lauren, an emergency phone operator and paramedic at the Chicago Office of Emergency Management, answered a call from a woman whose sister was unresponsive. After inquiring about the sister’s condition and assessing the critical situation over the phone, Lauren realized that lifesaving CPR needed to be performed immediately. With no time to waste, she calmly gave CPR instructions over the phone to the caller, who had never been trained in CPR. Because of Lauren’s careful and clear instructions, the caller successfully administered CPR until emergency help arrived, saving the life of her sister.
“It’s a privilege for the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross to honor an individual like Lauren. Her ability to quickly identify the gravity of the situation and calmly provide clear CPR instructions over the phone made a difference between life and death for a Chicago woman,” said Celena Roldán, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois.
For the past 18 years, the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross has honored each class of heroes at its Heroes Breakfast, typically attended by nearly 1,000 individuals. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross is unable to host this event in person but will honor this class of heroes via traditional and social media coverage beginning Tuesday, April 14.
Follow us @chicagoredcross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to watch these heroes tell their stories of determination, resilience and kindness. You can also join the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois on LinkedIn as we tell the beautiful stories of these Everyday Extraordinary individuals. We invite you to help us share these amazing stories with your friends and family across social media.
Additional honorees were selected in 11 community service categories. Heroes were chosen by an independent committee of leaders in the business and civic community. For the complete list of 2020 Heroes, visit redcross.org/heroes.
Thank you to all our generous sponsors, including: Better, Edwardson Family Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis, CSX, KPMG, Walgreens and to our media sponsor CBS 2.
About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties, including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at redcross.org/il/chicago or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.