Drive-By Parade Held For Nurse, National Guard Captain

FRANKFORT, IL — A drive-by parade was held in May to show support for Lorrie Novak, a nurse at Advocate Christ Medical Center and a captain in the National Guard military police. Novak's brother in-law Joseph Finan told Patch the family put the parade together for Novak as she set out for her second deployment to Afghanistan.

Novak, 33, had been staying with her sister's family in Frankfort helping out with her nieces, Finan said.

Novak was working in the coronavirus unit at the hospital, before she left for Afghanistan. Finan told Patch Novak received a Bronze Star medal during her first deployment in 2012. Novak graduated from the nursing program at Johns Hopkins University.

Patch was not able to reach Novak, as she was already deployed to Afghanistan.

"The parade went really well, had probably about 30 cars and the fire department," Finan said. "She was very surprised and overwhelmed with gratitude."