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Chicago Tribune
13-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Aurora police officer ‘set the bar' by making heroism a habit
Aurora Police Officer Gerardo Chaidez should be getting used to all the attention he's received since last year when he saved the lives of a West Aurora High School student and a young father from Texas in two near-fatal incidents six months apart. As if that isn't enough, in 2023, he was part of several officers who tried valiantly to rescue a driver who was unconscious and submerged in an icy retention pond off Eola Road. Chaidez is getting all sorts of accolades for these heroics, including a really cool photo of him on the January/February cover of Officer magazine and segments about his heroics on at least three Chicago TV stations. Among the impressive awards the 31-year-old Aurora police officer is also receiving are a couple of APD Medals of Valor, two Kane County Officer of the Year nominations and a Divisional Commendation Award. And most recently, he was honored by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police at an Aurora City Council Committee of the Whole meeting earlier this month. But here's the title that might best sum up this humble hero: 'The Person You Want Coming Through the Door When Trouble Comes Calling.' That's because Chaidez seems to instinctively go into action, and does so in a calm and cool manner. Consider what Aurora Police Sgt. William Sullivan had to say about the seven-year APD patrol officer after he saved the West Aurora High School teen's life as she was being attacked by the family's dog. 'I feel that Officer Chaidez's actions set the bar at the APD for his quick thinking, rapid decision-making and calm professional demeanor,' Sullivan said. 'There was no hesitation in his actions and Officer Chaidez knew exactly what the job called for in the exact moment and delivered with precision.' Then there is this quote from his sergeant following the Texas incident that occurred while Chaidez was on an out-of-state vacation: 'Officer Chaidez has yet again set the bar for the entire department with his split-second decision-making.' I'll get to the details of those two compelling narratives shortly. But first, a quick summary of the retention pond tragedy, when he was part of a multi-officer response to a vehicle that had flipped and was submerged in the icy water on Jan. 31, 2023. Chaidez not only jumped into the pond and helped remove the unconscious man but alternated with another officer giving CPR to the victim until medics arrived. Unfortunately, the driver did not survive. But the outcome was far better for the 15-year-old Aurora girl who was being attacked by the family's dog, the upper part of her arm already shredded, when Chaidez arrived on the scene, officials said. 'I was not expecting what I saw,' he said of the horrific event, adding that the attack started in the home and continued as she ran outside, shoeless and coatless on the bitterly cold and dark evening of Jan. 19, 2024. 'I just acted on the moment,' Chaidez told me, recalling the dog's grip on the girl's upper right arm that was nearly torn from her body. 'Once you overthink a situation, valuable seconds are lost and that's when mistakes are made.' In seven seconds, according to police reports, the officer 'neutralized' the dog and began rendering aid to the girl who, Chaidez recalled, asked him to make sure and tell her family she loved them as she floated in and out of consciousness. Chaidez continued talking to the victim as his partner Officer Rudy Dereza applied a tourniquet and waited for the medics, who eventually took her to Mercy Medical Center, where she was treated before going on to a Chicago trauma hospital. He's not been in contact with the young victim or her family, but has heard she's doing 'good.' As is the motorcycle rider, whose leg was completely severed above the knee when a strong wind in Mitchell County, Texas, threw him into a guardrail on Highway 20 around 6 p.m. on July 27 of last year, officials said. There's no question this man would have died had Chaidez not been passing through Texas with his three brothers on their way home to Aurora from a vacation, according to officials. The youngest son of Jose and Socorro Chaidez was in the back seat asleep on that long drive when the accident occurred in front of their car. But the off-duty APD officer immediately jumped into action when awakened and raced to the side of the motorcycle driver, where he quickly pulled the victim to safety onto the shoulder of the highway. Chaidez said he stopped traffic – a semi driver made a big difference by parking his truck across both lanes – in order to safely render aid to the man, whose leg now lay about 50 feet away. As his brothers called 911, Chaidez shed his T-shirt and made an improvised tourniquet, later adding a belt in his effort to apply as much pressure as possible to the bleeding wound. The victim never lost consciousness, but realizing his dire situation, asked Chaidez to call his wife, who was home with their 5-month-old infant. Still applying as much pressure as he could to the leg, Chaidez said he retrieved the man's phone, punched in his password and number, then put him on speaker, knowing that if the man did not survive, 'I wanted to give him an opportunity to talk to his wife.' It was an emotional conversation that seemed to calm the man, and it did not end until Texas State Police arrived on the scene. Not surprisingly, when they learned this heroic passerby was a police officer, the response was 'good job … we're hiring.' But Chaidez, a 2012 graduate of East Aurora High School who spent two years as an officer with the Illinois Department of Corrections, is perfectly happy working for his hometown department. In April, however, he did return to Texas, where he was presented with yet another honor: The Texas Department of Public Safety's Director's Award. Which can't help but make the entire Aurora department proud. 'Despite all of Officer Chaidez's heroics, video evidence, and being praised by the Texas Highway Patrol, he credited the motorcycle driver's survival with the phone call to his wife,' Sgt. Sullivan noted. 'Through all of this, Office Chaidez remains completely humble and dedicated to the service of others.' For his part, words fail this reluctant hero when I asked specifically how he feels about being thrust into these life-and-death scenarios. 'I've always been pretty calm, even in stressful situations,' he finally said, noting that 'credit goes to God' for putting him where he needs to be. 'It's hard to explain. … I just do what I think is best in the moment.'
Chicago Tribune
04-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
For Aurora residents, Fourth of July parade in city's downtown a patriotic tradition
For Kasey Diestelkamp of Aurora and her family, the city's annual Fourth of July parade is a must before her family thinks about backyard barbecues or anything else that might accompany the holiday. 'We always come to the parade,' she said while holding her daughter Beckett, who is almost 3 years old. 'We come every year. We live down the street and ride our bikes and it's an important holiday for families to get together. After the parade, we go home and change into our swimsuits and go to our in-laws where we swim and we eat. But it wouldn't be the Fourth of July without the parade. That's the start of everything.' Beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Aurora welcomed in the Fourth of July with the city's annual parade that kicked off at the intersection of Benton Street and Broadway downtown. The night before, the city celebrated America's 249th birthday with a Thursday evening fireworks show. The parade on Friday featured more than 30 floats, a number that officials said was similar to years past. 'This is an important day for Aurorans as well as all of our surrounding communities and the nation,' said Jon Zaghloul, communications manager for the city of Aurora, before the parade began. 'Our grand marshal is Hugo Saltijeral, who is such a welcome part of the community. He is what Aurora is – he's someone who is resilient, who is generous and who is very actively involved in pretty much everything that goes on here in Aurora.' According to a press release from the city, Saltijeral gives back to the community in many ways and 'currently serves as the executive director of the Valley Sheltered Workshop, leading a bold transformation in disability services.' Zaghloul noted that Friday 'is a great opportunity for city residents to come out and celebrate America's birthday and have a fun time watching all of the great floats and groups that walk in the parade.' 'This is very similar to Memorial Day where people can come to the parade and then take some time to relax. It's primarily a day off for most people and a great opportunity to come together downtown and celebrate and then have family time,' he said. Spotty rain which moved into the area before the parade helped keep things cooler this year as thousands gathered along the parade route. Brie Blue, 28, of Yorkville, said she was the head coach for the West Aurora High School cheerleaders and while the school has participated in the parade for many years, 'this is the first time for this coaching staff to be in it.' 'The importance of today is kind of what I coach my kids in all the time – it's all of us coming together and celebrating all our accomplishments and our future and what we have and everyone who came before us,' Blue said. 'It's like our alumni and all of those who served for us – fought for our country. The girls are super-excited about being in the parade. They love walking in it and doing community involvement.' Nick Sargis, who is the theater supervisor for the Fox Valley Park District, brought a slew of participants – more than 80 – to the parade. 'We have a great relationship with the city of Aurora and it's great that we get to walk and support our community,' he said of the parade. Diestelkamp and others spoke about the importance of the holiday for Americans. 'This is important to teach our kids about the Fourth of July and what it really means and it's a good sense of community being with all the Aurorans,' she said. Kathy Maltese of Aurora and her husband Tony said the parade is always on their Fourth of July to-do list. 'When it's the Fourth of July, it's the first box we have to check,' Kathy Maltese said. 'It's a tradition. It's something you've got to do.' 'This shows your patriotism and right now with all the things going on you have to show up now more than ever and this is one way of showing some kind of unity,' Tony Maltese added. 'You don't get a chance to do that all the time.'
Chicago Tribune
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Young Aurora woman hopes to bring style and community together with runway show in city's downtown
She's only 22 years old and barely a year out of Columbia College, but Breyona Smith is about to bring a different kind of style to her hometown. The young woman – a graduate of West Aurora High School – is producing what could be the city's first runway show that she describes as a 'celebration of Aurora's vibrant identity through the lens of fashion, art and culture.' 'The Fashion Mosaic' will not only feature local models, businesses and designers, it will include community interactive art performances, a pre-event VIP Hour filled with art and food experiences, music by a live DJ, contributions from the Aurora Historical Society and culinary creations by Matrix's Chef Alonso Beckford. And this unique event, to be held July 12 at Society 57 in downtown Aurora, all came about because a major beauty company did not offer an internship position to Smith after she won first place nationally in a 'new product/new concept' global competition, she said. She and two other fashion students from Columbia had teamed up to reinvent a hair comb to protect textured hair in L'Oreal's 'Brandstorm' contest, which earned this U.S. championship team what Smith described as a 'transformative' trip to London and second place in the international competition. 'I thought I'd have a job after graduation in New York,' she said. 'But it never materialized.' Disappointed but undeterred, Smith applied for full-time jobs in the fashion industry and did some freelancing – including a gig assisting creative director and producer Ayoka Lucas in a Chance the Rapper magazine photo shoot – before deciding to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit that ran in her family. Walking around the city's downtown one day last November, she realized that while Aurora has a 'thriving arts and culture vibe, it does not have much of a fashion scene' despite 'so many cute boutiques and shops.' So Smith thought, why not put together a fashion show – like Chicago and downtown Naperville – 'only let's put a twist on it,' she told me. 'Let's not only celebrate fashion but all artists, all creatives.' And so, after plenty of creative thought of her own – and a 14-page business plan – Smith began soliciting guidance from mentor Angelina Perino, mother Trina Maxwell and mom's best friend (and event planner) Shamone Seay. Then Smith began cold-calling groups and businesses, where she found plenty of enthusiasm from those buying into this young woman's vision and passion for fashion, the latter of which was learned at the knee of her late great-grandmother Bernice, who never stepped out of the house without being fully glammed-up and accessorized. Smith also assembled a team of advisors, held a local model call and put together a 'pitch deck' that would succinctly explain her idea to potential sponsors. Perino, founder of the Chicago production agency COVE, who's mentored Smith since the start of the year, noted how she's been 'consistently impressed' with the young Aurora woman's 'rare combination of drive, boldness, creativity and purpose. 'When she first shared her idea for a one-of-a-kind event that would bring fashion, art and community together in Aurora, it was just a seed,' said Perino. 'In a matter of months, (Breyona) transformed that seed into something beautiful and real.' And this event, she insisted, 'is just the beginning for her.' Watching from the front row, mom Trina Maxwell, who owns a birthing doula business, is proud of how her daughter took a major disappointment and turned it into something not only positive but unique and inclusive. She's not surprised, however. From the time she was a little girl, Breyona was tenacious, creative and a hard worker, Maxwell noted. And she 'always paid attention to details,' which included not only learning about fashion from the great-grandmother who helped raise her, but also about cooking, baking, sewing, even manners and etiquette. And yes, added Maxwell, her daughter always possessed that entrepreneurial spirit, evident early on by the bakery business she started at age 10 with best friend Nadia Brown, who will be emceeing the upcoming fashion event. Working two part-time jobs in style and merchandising at Nordstroms and Winston Retail, Smith has poured every spare amount of time and energy into this runway show, which will feature fashions from Clotheshorse, Wyckwood House, Undisputed Vintage, Offbeat Thrift and Vintage Collective, DDC Wraps, Slitz by HER, Tailored Couturier – all Aurora-based – and Christos Fur & Leathers from Westchester. Tickets – $75 for VIP, $35 for general admission – are available at Smith told me she does not expect to make any money from this first-ever venture, and in fact, is already looking into ways to turn The Fashion Mosaic into a nonprofit. But certainly the networking and other experiences she's gleaned are invaluable and help pave the way for more such events. 'A big part of what inspired me to create The Fashion Mosaic comes from putting myself out there and being in rooms with young innovators from all over the world,' Smith insisted. 'Even within my college experience, just collaborating and building a team to create something meaningful showed me how special these kinds of moments are. 'Community is community. And the arts really are the glue that holds us all together, especially in times like this.'
Chicago Tribune
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Crowning ceremony begins Juneteenth Week in Aurora
The city of Aurora officially launched Juneteenth Week 2025 with the crowning of the new Mr. and Miss Black Aurora on Thursday night at Aurora University's Crimi Auditorium, city officials said. The ceremony honored four high school students from across the city, each a symbol of academic success, community service and cultural pride, according to a press release from the city. West Aurora High School senior James Baker was crowned Mr. Black Aurora and will serve as king of the Royal Court. He is a scholar-athlete with a 4.0 grade point average and a student leader, the release said. The new Miss Black Aurora and queen of the Royal Court, Mbayie Tendong, is a junior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora. She has a 4.2 grade point average and is a science tutor, Sunday School teacher and multi-sport athlete, city officials said. Chantz Trotter, a senior at West Aurora High School, earned the title of prince of the Royal Court. His resume includes government internships, youth advisory roles, volunteerism and more, according to the release. Zyon Askew-Ward, a senior at Metea Valley High School and accomplished cellist, peer mentor and Tri-M Music Honor Society member, was named princess of the Royal Court, city officials said. The 2025 Black Heritage Royal Court will serve throughout the upcoming school year as youth ambassadors and be involved in mentorship, outreach and cultural engagement, the release stated. State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit. D-Oswego, will host her free annual Recycle and Shred Day event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 28, in the parking lot of Kifowit's district office at 1677 Montgomery Road in Aurora, organizers said. The event is dedicated to helping residents safely dispose of sensitive documents and unwanted electronics while supporting environmental sustainability and local nonprofit causes, according to a press release. On-site paper shredding for residents will be offered, with a limit of three 13-gallon trash bags or two banker boxes per vehicle, the release said. The electronics recycling effort at the event will accept items such as computer towers, printers and fax machines, DVD and VCR players, video game consoles, microwave ovens, and receivers and cables, organizers said. TVs and computer monitors will not be accepted at the event, according to the release. There will also be collection of cellphones to be donated to Mutual Ground to support survivors of domestic violence, eyeglasses to benefit Lions Clubs International global vision programs and new or gently used books for donation to Scarce and the Will County Sheriff's Office, organizers said. For more information, call 630-585-1308 or email State Reps. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, and Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, will host the Outside Kids Fair on Saturday, June 21, at Chapelstreet Church in Geneva. The event will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church at 3435 Keslinger Road. The family-oriented event includes free admission, refreshments and giveaways, according to a press release about the fair. Demonstrations will be given by the Kane County Sheriff K-9 Office, Traveling World of Reptiles Show, DancEncounter School of Dance and World Martial Arts Academy, organizers said. A medical helicopter from Superior Air Medical will be landing at 10 a.m., and a drawing for a bicycle is scheduled for 11:15 a.m., the release stated. Kids will have 27 options for Touch-A-Truck activities, and there will also be face-painting stations, according to organizers. The fair will include participation from over 50 local businesses, state agencies, county departments, police departments, park districts, villages, cities and more, the release stated. The St. Charles Public Library concludes its 2024-25 Sunday Concert Series at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, with a performance by percussionist Josh Graham at the library, 1 S. Sixth St. in St. Charles. Graham will perform several recently commissioned works for solo marimba, library officials said in a press release. Graham is assistant professor and percussion program coordinator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as well as executive director of the trio F-PLUS. The free performance is funded through donations to the St. Charles Public Library Foundation. The second annual Solstice Century Ride cycling event will be held Friday, June 20, to raise money for six area nonprofit charities providing mental health and housing insecurity programs, organizers said. Riders are asked to collect $1,000 or more in donations by completing 100 miles of cycling through the Whalon Lake Forest Preserve near Royce Road and Route 53 near Naperville. Money raised will help support Hesed House in Aurora, DuPage PADS, 4:13, SamaraCare Counseling, Grow Wellness Foundation and Max's Mission. The event begins at 6 a.m. and is organized by Zac Larson, a wealth advisor and avid cyclist. A celebration for riders, donors and volunteers with dinner, music and drinks will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, go to The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has broken ground on its new Grounds and Natural Resources Campus at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville. The 112,900-square-foot facility will be a main hub for crews that maintain nearly 26,000 acres of preserves in the county and will replace aging and scattered maintenance buildings, officials said. Its eco-friendly features including a solar array for renewable energy, rainwater harvesting systems to conserve water, and native bioswales and basins that support stormwater management and habitat restoration, a district news release said. The campus also includes a native plant nursery support building and greenhouse, which increases its ability to collect and distribute native seeds. The $36.4 million project is expected to be mostly completed by February 2027 with final completion set for December 2027, the release said. It is the largest of 32 projects the district included in its 2019 master plan.
Chicago Tribune
08-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Column: A grieving dad opens up about his veteran son's death by suicide
'My son,' he told me, 'should be on that wall also.' At the same time, as I found out later when Waddell and I connected via phone, the longtime North Aurora resident, who retired to Wisconsin in 2006, also understands why former U.S. Army Master Sgt. Michael Waddell's name is not included on the Illinois Fallen Wall among those who gave their lives in service to this country since 9/11. Death by suicide is far more complex. Far too hard to categorize in terms of cause and effect. And there are far too many. Twenty-two a day has been a call-to-action statistic, although the most recent data from the 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (using 2022 numbers) puts it at 17.6 veterans committing suicide per day, which is significantly higher than among non-veteran adults. 'Can you imagine,' asked Waddell, 'how long a wall it would have to be to contain all of them?' And yes, when the Chris Patterson Memorial Foundation took over the Illinois Fallen Wall display a year ago, founder Bob Patterson – whose son, a West Aurora High School grad, was killed in 2012 in Afghanistan – noted some 'upset' feelings by loved ones grieving a suicide. But like Waddell, he noted, after some discussion they understood the reasoning behind the decision not to include those who took their own lives while in service or later. Still, the pain Waddell feels more than two years after his only child shot himself is palpable. It's a pain that needs acknowledging, as does his son's service to this country. After graduating in 1988 from West Aurora High School, Mike Waddell worked for a year in a warehouse, 'with no direction,' until his dad, a Marmion Academy graduate who worked for UPS, saw the names and addresses of those serving in the military printed in The Beacon-News, and encouraged his son to reach out to some and find out how they liked the experience. Because the feedback was positive, Mike enlisted in November of 1989, and spent the next 22 years in the U.S. Army, including two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where, according to his father, he suffered traumatic brain injury when his vehicle hit an IED. The younger Waddell retired as a master sergeant in 2011 and worked for the Army Corps of Engineers until shortly before his death in Jacksonville, North Carolina, according to his father, but struggled with PTSD, which eventually impacted his personality and relationships. Suffering from those invisible wounds, Mike became more verbally abusive, self-medicating on weed and wine, said Ron Waddell, adding that while his son would call the V.A. when 'having a bad day,' he never sought counseling, even with loved ones begging him to get help. With his 30-year marriage crumbling around him, said the elder Waddell, Mike used a gun to take his own life on May 8, 2023. 'As a child, he literally passed out when getting a shot,' recalled the father. 'Imagine the mental anguish he was going through' to end his life in this way. 'Had his mother been alive,' he continued, referring to his wife Andi's death in 2014 after a long battle with cancer, 'it would have killed her.' Waddell described their son as a 'good kid … a funny guy when he was not the way he was in the end.' And he was an excellent soldier, his father noted, referring to the many military commendations he received, as well as a flood of personal accolades from peers following his death. 'Your son was a good man … one of the best non-commissioned officers I have ever worked with,' wrote a fellow soldier who served twice with Mike during his service. While Mike Waddell's career meant most of his adult years were long distance from his dad, he was buried with full military honors at Northwoods National Cemetery in Harshaw, Wisconsin, just 15 minutes from Ron's home. And that gives a still-grieving father tremendous comfort knowing his son is 'finally at peace.' 'I can't emphasize enough how impressed and proud I was of him,' he told me. 'I have so many memories, all good.'
