SR0324 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0324 LRB095 12875 GRL 38361 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Brandon Kitchens of Naperville, who passed away on July 25, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens was born on August 20, 1983 in Warner Robins, Georgia; his parents were Patrick and Barbara Kitchens; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens graduated from Naperville North High School in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens served four years in the United States Air Force, where he briefed thousands of crews of airmen in Germany on the hazards they would face in the skies over Iraq; he had been lent by the Air Force to the Army, which needed personnel trained in intelligence, and was deployed to Iraq to investigate the risks on the ground and then brief convoy drivers and others; he served three tours of duty in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan, where he traveled with convoys, evaluated areas to build airstrips, and ducked for cover during a bombing of the Green Zone in Baghdad; and

WHEREAS, After his return from Iraq, Brandon Kitchens worked for Chicago 2016, an organization devoted to bringing the 2016 Olympics to Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens was a fanatical lover of sports, especially soccer; he loved the Chicago Fire soccer team so much that he got a tattoo of the Fire logo on his leg at a time it was unclear how long the team would last; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens is survived by his parents; his brother, Chad Kitchens; his maternal grandmother, Margaret Knighton; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Kitchens will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a determined and intelligent man with a wild side; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Brandon Kitchens; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Brandon Kitchens and his willingness to serve our country; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Brandon Kitchens as an expression of our sympathy.