Bill Text: IL HJR0013 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates the 47th Street Bridge over Interstate 294 as the "Brooks Edwin Tonn Memorial Bridge".
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-01 - Adopted Both Houses [HJR0013 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2021-HJR0013-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General | ||||||
3 | Assembly pays honor and respect to those who have made a | ||||||
4 | difference in their community and in Illinois; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Brooks Edwin Tonn was born on August 29, 2007, | ||||||
6 | the beloved son of Nora (Keenan) and Robert Tonn; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn grew up in Hinsdale, where he | ||||||
8 | excelled in academics at school and in sports; he was always | ||||||
9 | first to be on the field and was always ready for a pick-up | ||||||
10 | game or to watch the others play; he was the pitcher on his | ||||||
11 | beloved baseball team, the Hinsdale Red Dogs, and quarterback | ||||||
12 | on his Hinsdale Falcons football team; he loved playing golf | ||||||
13 | and swimming; and
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14 | WHEREAS, In December of 2016, Brooks Tonn was diagnosed | ||||||
15 | with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Cancer did not stop Brooks Tonn's dedication to | ||||||
17 | those around him or the sports he loved, especially baseball; | ||||||
18 | and
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19 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn even timed his cancer treatments so | ||||||
20 | he could attend school and play the sports he loved; and
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1 | WHEREAS, During the year of his medical treatments, Brooks | ||||||
2 | Tonn, a lifelong baseball fan, played in 54 games for his | ||||||
3 | cherished Red Dogs, the Hinsdale Little League, and the | ||||||
4 | Hinsdale All Stars; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn made sure that all kids were welcome | ||||||
6 | in any game he played; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn was introduced to Jason Garrett, the | ||||||
8 | head coach of the Dallas Cowboys; after their first meeting, | ||||||
9 | they became fast friends, and Garrett gave Brooks his personal | ||||||
10 | phone number, so they could keep in touch through text; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn was given the opportunity to fly to | ||||||
12 | Dallas to meet the Dallas Cowboys and watch a private | ||||||
13 | practice; he was presented with the game ball, which made him | ||||||
14 | forget how much discomfort he felt from his treatments; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs, a survivor of | ||||||
16 | cancer himself, visited Brooks Tonn and sat with him while he | ||||||
17 | was receiving chemotherapy treatments; and
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18 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn lived by the motto "Have Courage and | ||||||
19 | Be Kind," and his community rallied behind him and that | ||||||
20 | belief; and
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1 | WHEREAS, From the day Brooks Tonn was diagnosed to his | ||||||
2 | last moments, Reverend Wayne Watts was present, offering | ||||||
3 | spiritual support for the entire family; and
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4 | WHEREAS, During his treatments, Brooks Tonn met many | ||||||
5 | wonderful people who helped him and his family cope with the | ||||||
6 | difficulties he faced on a daily basis; dozens of family | ||||||
7 | members and friends joined together to offer a meal-prep | ||||||
8 | service to his whole family for months, giving them the | ||||||
9 | opportunity to focus on the fight they were facing; and
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10 | WHEREAS, Local newspapers published stories about Brooks | ||||||
11 | Tonn while he was in the earlier stages of his treatment; | ||||||
12 | through a friend, his story was shared with actress and | ||||||
13 | director Lisa Varga, who interviewed Brooks and developed a | ||||||
14 | documentary about his fight against cancer; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Brooks Tonn passed away peacefully on December 1, | ||||||
16 | 2017 and is survived by his loving parents; he was the dear | ||||||
17 | brother of Hunter, Griffin, and Scarlett; the cherished | ||||||
18 | grandson of Nancy and William Brooks Keenan and Barbara and | ||||||
19 | Donald Tonn; the cherished nephew of Betsy and Brian Moran, | ||||||
20 | Bill and Denise Keenan, Trish and Patrick Kinsella, Dan and | ||||||
21 | Tracey Keenan, Tom and Danielle Keenan, and Donald Jr. and | ||||||
22 | Kari Tonn; the dearest cousin of Kate and Christian Arquilla, |
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1 | Finn Arquilla, Jack, Christopher, and Nora Moran, William IV | ||||||
2 | and Hannah Keenan, Genevieve, Patrick Cass, and Colette | ||||||
3 | Kinsella, Christopher, Lauren, Jane, and Ben Keenan, Patrick, | ||||||
4 | Caroline, and Sean Keenan, Lindsey Kaplan-Herman, and Amanda | ||||||
5 | Tonn; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Following Brooks Tonn's passing, more than 2,000 | ||||||
7 | friends, family, dignitaries, and community members attended | ||||||
8 | his memorial service and funeral; and
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9 | WHEREAS, The Brooks Strong Foundation was formed in memory | ||||||
10 | of Brooks Tonn; and
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11 | WHEREAS, The Brooks Strong Foundation funds cutting-edge | ||||||
12 | pediatric cancer research and provides scholarships to defray | ||||||
13 | the cost of sports and extracurricular activities for families | ||||||
14 | with kids going through cancer treatment; and
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15 | WHEREAS, The Hinsdale Little League has honored Brooks | ||||||
16 | Tonn with the creation of the Brooks Tonn Award for the player | ||||||
17 | on each team that demonstrates a commitment to teamwork, | ||||||
18 | effort, and kindness; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Like a shooting star, Brooks Tonn's brilliant, | ||||||
20 | shining glow, his smile, and his energy, lit up the lives of | ||||||
21 | everyone who had the privilege of knowing him, but are gone too |
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1 | soon; just because he is no longer here, it does not mean he | ||||||
2 | will be forgotten; his presence resonates through all who knew | ||||||
3 | him and through the Brooks Strong Foundation; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Since the day of Brooks Tonn's passing, blue and | ||||||
5 | yellow cups have adorned the 47th Street Bridge over | ||||||
6 | Interstate 294 with his rallying cry "Brooks Strong"; and
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7 | WHEREAS, It is fitting that we provide a lasting honor to | ||||||
8 | the memory of Brooks Tonn; therefore, be it
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9 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
10 | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | ||||||
11 | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the 47th Street | ||||||
12 | Bridge over Interstate 294 as the "Brooks Edwin Tonn Memorial | ||||||
13 | Bridge"; and be it further
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14 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Toll Highway Authority is | ||||||
15 | requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | ||||||
16 | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | ||||||
17 | giving notice of the name of the "Brooks Edwin Tonn Memorial | ||||||
18 | Bridge"; and be it further
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19 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
20 | presented to the family of Brooks Tonn, the Illinois Toll | ||||||
21 | Highway Authority, and the Brooks Strong Foundation.
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