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They show up, every single day: The Illinois Valley’s reader-nominated Everyday Heroes of 2026 · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: They show up every single day. The Illinois Valleys Reader
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  nominated Everyday Heroes of twenty twenty six. Written by John Sally,
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  This article is being read by an automated voice brought
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  to you by Everlett. A pe teacher who turned grief
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  into a mental health movement. A school resource officer who
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  never says he's too busy. A marine who's always there.
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  Meet the Illinois Valley's Reader. Nominated twenty twenty six Everyday Heroes.
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  Lieutenant carl O McCormick nominated by Diane g. He served
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  twice in the Vietnam War so a first time dad
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  could be with his wife for the delivery. He got
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  shot down while on a mission that found the enemy's
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  weapons hiding place. He was a career man who fought
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  for our freedom. Bonnie Lynn Pollack Lucas Hartman nominated by
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  Nick Barrett. Bonnie has saved countless lives working in the
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  emergency medical field between Utica, Peru oglesby Marseille and Sheridan.
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  She's always helping people and always ready to handle any emergency.
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  Marie L. Verdein nominated by Rodney Verdeen. She worked over
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  thirty years as one of the first female engineers at
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  the Illinois Dot in Ottawa, in a male dominated profession.
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  After retiring, she has been the treasurer at our church
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  when no one else would do it, even through pain.
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  In recent months, even more she cares and helps me
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  to do so also. Emily Snow nominated by Deborah Whalen.
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  Emily goes above and beyond in caring for people. She
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  makes herself available to you. Emily Hardy nominated by Vicki Yaco.
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  Not only does Emily work in a grade school teaching
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  five hundred plus children daily as a pe teacher, but
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  in her spare time when she isn't caring for her
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  precious two year old daughter, she started a movement for
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  increasing mental health awareness and suicide prevention in the Illinois Valley.
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  Every year, she hosts a five thousand in June in
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  honor of her cousin, Malli Yacko, who she lost to
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  suicide in twenty eighteen. Emily's race and movement run Today
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  for Tomorrow went from a race of two hundred participants
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  where funds from sponsors and race entries were donated to
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  suicide prevention causes, to recent years where all funds remained local,
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  providing grants to mental health resources, as well as the
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  Malli Leonora Yaco Memorial Scholarship for future mental health professionals.
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  Emily found an outlet for her pain and threw herself
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  wholeheartedly into fighting the stigma of mental health issues and
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  helping others in hopes that no one else has to
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  feel they have no other choice. She believes in a
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  tomorrow where everyone is here to see it. Mackenzie Cruz
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  nominated by Tambria Cruz. My brother Matt Cruz, is the
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  school resource officer for Princeton Isley Elementary Schools. He takes
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  his job very seriously and now has a new partner
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  to train named Balto. He puts so much effort into
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  being a good role model and police officer for the
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  kids of Princeton. Then he goes home and is a
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  pretty great husband to his wife and father to his kids.
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  Within the past two years, mack has lost both our
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  father and his father in law. He has stepped up
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  immensely to help our mother and his mother in law
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  with whatever is needed, whether it be a new roof,
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  a new furnace, or yard work, He's taken care of it.
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  Then add in me, his older sister who is a
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  single mom doing her best. I have things constantly breaking
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  at my house and in my car. Every time I
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  call him and say, are you busy, he replies, nope,
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  I've got a minute. What's going on? He is always
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  there to take care of whatever is needed. We all
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  depend on him so much. I sure hope he knows
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  how much he has appreciated. He deserves everything good in
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  this world. Gregory a Crab nominated by Linda Krab. He's
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  an honest and sincere caring man. He loves and respects
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  nature and animals. His kindness extends to all his family
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  and neighbors. He's always willing to help when he can.
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  Being a marine, he has dignity and discipline at all times.
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  He loves his family and has always been there for
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  each of us at different times in life. His honor
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  extends to his country and to God. Greg has been
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  here for me throughout our life. He knows when I'm
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  down or just need a touch or a smile to
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  help me back up. Above all, he has a loving husband,
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  my trusted soulmate and best friend. He is my honest
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  hero for life.