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1 • Thursday, January 19, 2017 - The Independent
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VOL. 14 • NO. 21
Bensenville provides residents with free car seats
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2017
First responders properly install seats in wake of fatal crash
Mayor spearheads car seat giveaway on Saturday SUBMITTED PHOTO Addison Independent
Mayor Frank DeSimone (far right) gives a new child’s car seat to a couple on Saturday, Oct. 14 when the Village of Bensenville hosted an event that provided free car seats to those who don’t have one. The effort originated when first responders were touched by the death of a 6-month-old child who was killed in a traffic accident last April. Vowing to do something about it, they began collecting donations of car seats for those without.
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Five months have passed since a tragic car accident injured seven people, including an infant who was not secured in a car seat and died two weeks later. Devastated by the scene that day, Bensenville Mayor Frank DeSimone and village business leaders committed to taking steps to help ensure first responders will never have to attend to such a tragic scene again. Last Saturday, after a summer of collecting donations, Mayor DeSimone joined those first responders in providing more than 80 families with free car seats, as well as a demonstration on proper installation. “It’s so inspiring to watch the community come together after an awful accident like that,” said Mayor DeSimone, who is also a first responder, as a police detective in Schiller Park. “Our business leaders stepped up and together with our first responders, have once again gone above and beyond in their efforts to continue keeping Bensenville residents safe.” The fatal crash happened on April 28 in the 200 block of West Grand Avenue. Jaydan Lopez, a 6-month-old Bensenville boy, was rushed to the hospital, but died two weeks later. “We encounter tragedies every day on the job, but when kids are involved it really hits home,” said Fire Chief Michael Spain. “It’s amazing to be part of a great initiative like this and help families keep their kids safe while driving. It’s never easy to deal with a tragedy, but it helps when something good can come from it.” Together with the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce, Mayor DeSimone spent the summer collecting donations from residents and area businesses. Those efforts, including generous donations from Bags, Inc. and Seven Hill Properties, resulted in hundreds of car seats being donated. After the village promoted the availability of the free car seats, more than 80 families signed up to receive one.
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