After spending much of her early life in Naperville, Rima Ziuraitis is now an enlisted combat medic in the Armed Forces of Ukraine — and an award winner from the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.
The Red Cross is honoring Ziuraitis as its 2026 Global Citizenship Hero for the “significant time” the 38-year-old has devoted to humanitarian efforts during the war in Ukraine.
She’ll receive the award during the Red Cross’ 24th annual Heroes Breakfast on May 6 in Chicago, while she’s on leave from her service at a stabilization point and military hospital in southeast Ukraine.
Ziuraitis said she understands that the Red Cross award is honoring her for selfless service and putting herself in harm’s way — even to the point of enlisting in the Ukrainian military.
“I don’t see it that way because it just feels automatic to help people,” she said. “I’ve been that way my whole life.”
Whether volunteering at food pantries, cleaning up after church pancake breakfasts, supporting Rotary causes or helping out “within my Lithuanian community,” Ziuraitis said she has always felt a calling to be of service.
After moving to Naperville when she was 10, Ziuraitis attended Naperville Central High School and went on to North Central College. There, she studied political science and philosophy and graduated in 2012.
Ziuraitis was working in corporate finance and had no medical training in 2022 when she felt a pull to support the people of Ukraine. Early that year, Russia launched a new attack on Ukraine, escalating a longstanding conflict into a full-fledged war, and Ziuraitis said she wanted to do something to help.
As an American, she said she values freedom and democracy for the Ukrainian people. And as a Lithuanian, whose relatives were refugees during World War II, she felt an even stronger calling.
“There’s a generational issue for me as well to want to help support Ukraine,” Ziuraitis said.
After volunteering with humanitarian relief efforts for about a year, Ziuraitis pursued training to become a combat medic, was recruited to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine and reached the level of combat corpsman.
“Through her work, Ziuraitis demonstrates a strong commitment to humanitarian service and the impact individuals can make in supporting others during times of crisis,” the Red Cross said in a statement.
Lately, her work has included nursing duties in 48-hour shifts at a military hospital — even on her birthday in early April — or night shifts at a stabilization point where wounded soldiers are given basic treatment. She blogs about her experiences at buymeacoffee.com/rimaziuraitis.
“I had no qualms about leaving my finance job,” Ziuraitis said. “This is what I’m supposed to be doing. Everything back home was just secondary.”
Meeting the medical needs of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians has led Ziuraitis to a new goal. She now wants to study trauma care and become an emergency nurse. But this may have to wait.
After a few weeks of leave to see family and attend a medical conference, Ziuraitis said she’ll be right back to the front lines in Ukraine, leaving her mother in Naperville supportive but terrified, while she provides medicine and comfort where it’s needed most.
“Until the war ends,” she said, “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
Marie Wilson is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
