Vegas Golden Knights Nurse Appreciation 2026
🏒 About Vegas Golden Knights Healthcare Heroes Knight
- Date: January 31, 2026 | Time: 7:00 PM PST
- Game: Seattle Kraken vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
On January 31st, 2026, the Vegas Golden Knights hosted a Healthcare Heroes "Knight" for their game against the Seattle Kraken. Not only did attendees receive a limited edition healthcare heroes jersey, but two nurses were honored on the ice and got to ride the Zamboni! Selected via an online vote, our nurse winners also each got two free game tickets, a ticket to TravCon 2026, a pair of Clove shoes, and Fabletics scrubs!
Read on to learn more about this exciting evening of nurse appreciation and hockey.
Nurse Winners Ride the Zamboni
TWO nurses were honored on the ice and rode the Zamboni during the 1st intermission!
Learn more about our outstanding nurse winners:
Ian Lagradilla
I would like to nominate Ian Lagradilla, RN, BSN, to ride the Zamboni at a Vegas Golden Knights game. Ian is someone whose path to nursing wasn’t a straight line, but a calling that revealed itself over time.
Becoming a nurse was a journey that chose Ian as he discovered his strengths, his compassion, and his ability to connect deeply with others in life. Today, he serves as a dedicated psychiatric nurse, supporting patients across the full spectrum of mental health needs.
As a new nurse, Ian is calm in the storm, the kind of presence that steadies a room and reassures those who are struggling. His work is rooted in humanity, empathy, and a genuine heart. Whether he’s guiding someone through a crisis or offering a quiet moment of understanding, he shows every day what it means to care for people at their most vulnerable.
For his unwavering commitment, his compassion, and the quiet strength he brings to the profession, I proudly nominate Ian Lagradilla for this honor. He embodies the spirit of nursing and the heart of our community.
Rachel Cortese
As weird as it is to nominate myself, I feel I deserve to be recognized for my hard work! I am an ICU nurse and have gone through so much this past year at work! I had a patient come to me, and an hour later, he was coded in his room, his wife standing right there watching us try to save his life. He unfortunately passed away despite all the efforts we tried, and that hurt my heart for him and his wife as well as his family.
Working in the ICU is a hard job because we see people on their absolute worst days and try everything in our power to provide the best care we can for them. We put our feelings aside to improve the patient's outcome. I have unfortunately had people pass away during my shifts, whether it was expected or not, and my rule is to never let anyone die alone. I have held my patient's hand as they have taken their last breath. With that, it gives me a sense of reassurance that i am exactly where i need to be. I am in this profession for the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I will show up for my patient 100% of the time.
Being a nurse has been life changing and being able to see miracles every time i work is a blessing. Not all days are bad. I've seen and helped paralyzed patients walk for the first time (Shout out to my occupational and physical therapists for the help!!), I have seen traumatic accidents bring families closer together, I have seen people with poor outcomes fight against the odds and WIN!
I love being a nurse, and would not change a thing that has lead me to where i am today. That is why i am nominating myself, because with all the hard work us nurses go through, we deserve to show ourselves a little grace and praise for helping others day in and day out.
Each winner received:
- Two game tickets (courtesy of Nurse.org)
- A pair of Clove shoes
- Fabletics scrubs
- A free ticket to TravCon 2026
- On-ice recognition during the game
Thanks For an Unforgettable Game!
We'd like to extend our gratitude to our nurse winners and the Vegas Golden Knights for an unforgettable night of hockey, camaraderie, and nurse appreciation. Cheers to the nurses who show up and make a difference every single day!
2025 Event Recap
The following nurses were nominated by the nursing community to be honored at Healthcare Heroes Knight! After a community online vote, they were selected as the three nurses to be recognized at the game. Two of the nurses got to ride the Zamboni while the third got to crank the siren! Each winner received 2 game tickets, Clove shoes, and a prize bundle from Nuwest!
Here are the nurses chosen by an online vote:
Ramona Fonseca: I am honored to nominate my mother, an emergency room nurse, for her extraordinary dedication, resilience, and compassion. Her journey as a caregiver began early, when, as a 15-year-old teenage mother, she needed to find a career to support my brother. Now, at just 46 years old, she has served as a nurse for nearly 30 years, building a career defined by selflessness and a strong work ethic—qualities she displayed most impressively during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the pandemic hit, my mother was on the front lines, serving in hospitals across the U.S. and on the mainland. Yet her commitment didn’t stop there; determined to make a broader impact, she moved with me, as a single mother, to the Big Island of Hawaii. There, she joined a COVID response team and provided essential care to a small, rural community, sacrificing the comforts of home in Colorado to serve where she was most needed.
Her compassion reaches far beyond our borders. Recently, she traveled to Tanzania on a mission trip with a Mission Hospital, where she has been instrumental in improving maternal and fetal health. She is dedicated to training local nurses, sharing essential skills that have a direct impact on reducing maternal and infant mortality, especially within the Maasai tribe community in northern Tanzania.
In addition to her international efforts, her compassion is felt deeply at home. She has taken it upon herself to purchase quality socks and warm hoodies from her own pocket to distribute in the ER to frequent visitors, many struggling with alcoholism and other challenges. She has been nominated for Employee of the Year, received Daisy Award nominations, and is frequently recognized for her kindness and humility, though she never seeks recognition.
My mother’s dedication often requires long hours, late nights, and time away from family, even on my birthdays and holidays, because she knows her community relies on her presence. I have seen her bear this burden with tears, yet she has never neglected me, instilling in me the true meaning of a strong work ethic. Inspired by her example, I am now pursuing my own path in healthcare, with hopes of becoming a surgeon.
Her love for the city of Las Vegas, especially its sports, has also inspired me to nominate her. A dedicated fan since the founding of the Vegas Golden Knights, she has celebrated every milestone, proud to see Las Vegas represented on the professional sports map. This nomination would be a dream come true for her, and I am grateful for the opportunity to honor her incredible commitment and heart.
Janelle Wilcox: Janelle is the school nurse at my child's school and she is AMAZING, kind and treats the children with the upmost care. I might be biased since I LOVE the school she works at, but she really is great!
Ramona Manguiat: Ramona is a nurse who has been working in the field for almost 10 years now. She is an exceptional charge nurse in the Emergency Department who always watches out for her staff, especially any new nurses or new grads. She ensures that new grads feel comfortable enough to ask for help and that is what helps mold our new nurses to become exceptional like her!
2024 Event Recap
The Las Vegas Golden Knights, reigning Stanley Cup champions, celebrated the dedication and resilience of nurses and healthcare workers during this matchup against the Florida Panthers.
Two remarkable nurses who have gone above and beyond the call of duty took center stage on the ice and rode the Zamboni to the cheers of a roaring crowd!
Event Photos
Meet the 2024 VGK Nurses!
The following nurses were nominated by the nursing community to be honored at Healthcare Heroes Knight! After a community online vote, they were selected as the two nurses to be recognized at the game and ride the Zamboni.
- Carolyn Hafen: "Carolyn has been a nurse for over 15 years. She is currently the Emergency Department Director and has worked at Spring Valley Hospital for over 17 years. She is not only an amazing nurse, who provides compassionate and empathetic care to the patients, but she is also a great leader and mentor for the staff working in the emergency department. She is consistently helping to lead them to be great caregivers in our community. Carolyn worked during October 1 and since that night has made sure to be an active member in emergency preparedness. Carolyn works hard every single day to make sure that not only her department, but that the entire hospital is taken care of. She goes above and beyond!"
- Sara Weaver: Sara is an outstanding registered nurse who always has a positive attitude and makes every day better. She is a two-time DAISY winner and an excellent relief charge in our times of need. She always goes above and beyond!
Awards and Prizes:
- The 2 nurse winners each received:
- A pair of Clove shoes!
- A set of Jaanuu scrubs!
- A prize bundle from NuWest!
