The Foundation, of which Hughes was a board member for five years, provides care for families with brain and spinal cord injuries.[143] Hughes recovered from his injury and on October 4, 2017 he returned to the hospital to honor the hospital staff who took care of him while he was there.[144] On 14 January 2018, Hughes returned ringside as a guest of honor during UFC Fight Night in St. Louis.[145] On September 19, 2019, news surfaced that Hughes sued Norfolk Southern Railway and several of its employees for the 2017 train crash.[146]