Angela Hornof
October 2025
Angela
Hornof
,
BSN, RN, ASPAN
Rapid Response Team
Adovcate Christ Medical Center
Oak Lawn
,
IL
United States
Angela could easily have driven past the accident and continued on with her day, but instead, she chose to stop and help complete strangers in distress
My wife, our dog, and I were involved in a serious multi-car accident. Angela was driving a few cars behind us and witnessed the collision. Although she was not involved in the crash, she immediately pulled over to the shoulder to assist and call 911.
My wife was in distress and experiencing chest pain. Angela called 911 again to request an ambulance and then helped my wife out of our vehicle, which remained in the traffic lanes with airbags deployed. She carefully assisted my wife into her own car, took her vital signs, and asked appropriate medical questions to assess her condition. Angela stayed with my wife until the ambulance arrived.
I was uninjured, but our elderly German Shepherd was shaken and unable to walk without a belly strap due to age and hip problems. Angela cleared out the back of her SUV so I could place our dog and his travel bed inside, keeping him comfortable and dry in the rain. I called family members to come for our dog so I could accompany my wife to the hospital, but both were over an hour away in rush-hour traffic. I mentioned to Angela that I might ask the State Police to help my dog and me off the tollway to a safe location to wait. Angela insisted that it was unnecessary and said she would personally drive us to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where we could wait in her car until my family arrived.
During the drive, Angela mentioned that she was a nurse at Christ Hospital and that her shift began at 7:00 p.m. Realizing my family might not arrive before her shift started, she called her father, C, to meet us in the hospital parking lot. She arranged to take his car home so she could prepare for work, while C stayed with our dog so I could go inside to see my wife.
When my family arrived, we transferred our dog into their car. C’s kindness and patience were deeply appreciated. Later that evening, Angela came to the emergency room to check on both of us and ensure we were all right. She also provided information to the State Police as a witness at the crash scene.
Angela could easily have driven past the accident and continued on with her day, but instead, she chose to stop and help complete strangers in distress. Her compassion, empathy, and professionalism reflect the very best qualities of her nursing profession. Angela is an extraordinary nurse and an even more extraordinary person, and she truly deserves recognition for her selflessness.
My wife was in distress and experiencing chest pain. Angela called 911 again to request an ambulance and then helped my wife out of our vehicle, which remained in the traffic lanes with airbags deployed. She carefully assisted my wife into her own car, took her vital signs, and asked appropriate medical questions to assess her condition. Angela stayed with my wife until the ambulance arrived.
I was uninjured, but our elderly German Shepherd was shaken and unable to walk without a belly strap due to age and hip problems. Angela cleared out the back of her SUV so I could place our dog and his travel bed inside, keeping him comfortable and dry in the rain. I called family members to come for our dog so I could accompany my wife to the hospital, but both were over an hour away in rush-hour traffic. I mentioned to Angela that I might ask the State Police to help my dog and me off the tollway to a safe location to wait. Angela insisted that it was unnecessary and said she would personally drive us to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where we could wait in her car until my family arrived.
During the drive, Angela mentioned that she was a nurse at Christ Hospital and that her shift began at 7:00 p.m. Realizing my family might not arrive before her shift started, she called her father, C, to meet us in the hospital parking lot. She arranged to take his car home so she could prepare for work, while C stayed with our dog so I could go inside to see my wife.
When my family arrived, we transferred our dog into their car. C’s kindness and patience were deeply appreciated. Later that evening, Angela came to the emergency room to check on both of us and ensure we were all right. She also provided information to the State Police as a witness at the crash scene.
Angela could easily have driven past the accident and continued on with her day, but instead, she chose to stop and help complete strangers in distress. Her compassion, empathy, and professionalism reflect the very best qualities of her nursing profession. Angela is an extraordinary nurse and an even more extraordinary person, and she truly deserves recognition for her selflessness.