SR0745 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0745 LRB093 23481 CSA 54255 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois were very saddened to learn of the tragic death of 2nd Lieutenant Brett J. Harman, U.S.M.C., of Park Ridge on September 4, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Harman and his best friend, Kevin McCann of Park Ridge, died in a shooting incident following a brawl at a tailgate party on the campus of North Carolina State University; Brett was mortally wounded defending Kevin; in response, Kevin tackled the shooter and was shot and killed; and

WHEREAS, Brett and Kevin had been friends since childhood and top wrestlers for their high schools; Brett was stationed in North Carolina and was getting ready for deployment to Iraq in January, and Kevin and a half-dozen other pals had traveled from Chicago to spend the long holiday weekend with him; and

WHEREAS, Brett graduated from Maine South High School in 1999, where he played football and was a varsity wrestler, ranked in the top ten nationally in his division; he was also the captain of the Maine South High School wrestling squad for two years; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Harman joined the U.S. Marine Corps in May of 2003 after graduating from the Naval Academy, which he attended on a full wrestling scholarship; he was a second lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Harman was greatly admired and respected by friends, by former teammates, opponents, and coaches, and by the Marines in his platoon; he will be remembered as a born leader who had a naturally positive outlook on life; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Lieutenant Harman has been deeply felt by many, especially his parents, Nancy J. (Terry) Tighe and Thomas Harman; his brother, Robert W.; his grandparents, Robert and Barbara Johnson; his aunts and uncles, Jeffrey (Ann), Barbara, and Roberta Johnson; and his nephew, Jack Tiebout; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Lieutenant Brett J. Harman, U.S.M.C., who was taken from this life too soon, and we extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.