Red Cross Hero Says The Recognition Helps Her Nonprofit Help Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, honoring people or groups who've demonstrated heroism through extraordinary acts of courage or kindness.

They're people nominated by you and as past heroes will tell you, the recognition lasts a lifetime. At just five years old, Hunter Johnson was officially declared a hero.

"I remember getting up to go to the bathroom to get the thermometer and feeling like I was getting tunnel vision."

With his older brother and sister at school, and dad away Hunter's mom Suzanne collapsed at home. Hunter knew what to do.

"So then I called 911."

And he showed the EMTs where his mother was when they arrived. Helping rescue his mother at age fie, it's understandable Hunter doesn't remember most of it 11 years later.

"I hear lots of stories and get little bits of it. And I get like these small little flashes," he said.

They hadn't seen his youth hero video since then. Now, just shy of his 18th birthday and soon heading to college, Hunter still keeps his medal close, even without the memories, there's a humbleness from him. And a lesson.

"Everyone can be a hero doing the smallest of things not even the large scale factors," he said.

"It may be small to somebody, but it's lifechanging to another," added Hunter's mother.

From a long time hero to a new, but equally deserving one. Tanya Lozano received the Social Justice Hero ward this year. As an activist based in Pilsen, she founded Healthy Hood Chicago.

"Even before pandemic, there has always been a 20-year life expectancy gap here between communities of color and affluent communities," Lozano said.

To combat that, she teaches nutrition workshops and provides free mental health services with Lincoln United Methodist Church as her home base.

"It's really like my baby almost. Out of this space, we do all of those other services and my parents are the pastors here," Lozano said.

As the pandemic hit, she started a second nonprofit giving COVID vaccines, tests, masks and meals. The recognition from the Red Cross helped others take notice of Lozano and join the cause.

"We've been able to expand our work all across the city of Chicago," Lozano said. "It's hard work. It's heavy work.  And there's times when you need the motivation and inspiration and things like this they really do help."

Nominations are now open for next year's awards. You can nominate someone by clicking here or go to RedCross.Org/Hero.

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