At Honor Flight Chicago, our mission is to thank our senior our heroes for their service and sacrifice. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are focusing our appreciation on our Medical Guardians, many of whom are currently on the front lines of treating coronavirus patients.

Each time we fly our senior war veterans to Washington, D.C., our flight features eight to 10 licensed medical providers who ensure a safe and enjoyable day for everyone involved on the flight. Many of these Guardians work full-time at local clinics and hospitals, and today they are doing all they can to keep those around them safe.

Several of these Medical Guardians recently took a few minutes out of their busy days to talk about COVID-19, their work with Honor Flight Chicago, and the strangeness of being called heroes. Check back often! More profiles will continue to be added to this page.

“Every day I have to make the decision to go to work, or put my family first. This is who I am, though. If you take (being a nurse) away and I’m just at home, then you take away who I am.”

Marianne Milarczyk, Hospice Triage RN

Meet some of our Medical Guardians