Howard was a Waterbury Firefighter and was killed in the line of duty when the fire truck he was riding in - Engine 9, lost it's brakes and hit a tree on West Main street on May 10, 1990.   He was killed along with firefighter Heriberto Rivera.  They were repsonding to a false alarm at Wilby High School.   There is scholarship, the Hughes/Rivera Memorial Scholarship given in their memory every year.   The Rivera/Hughes Park was established in the south end of Waterbury in their memory.