Already grieving the loss of members of the Rolling Meadows family, those who trained with Thomas Dobosch learned Wednesday that he, too, had died as a result of injuries sustained in a wrong-way crash last weekend in McHenry County.
Rolling Meadows, a 32-year-old father of four, was treated for serious injuries at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood after being airlifted there early Sunday.
He was pronounced dead at 11:17 a.m. Wednesday at the hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy has not yet been performed.
Illinois State Police and the organizer of a GoFundMe page for the family also confirmed Dobosh’s death Wednesday.
“It is with a heavy heart that we come today with an update on Tom. Tom gained his angel wings and is now with his amazing wife Lauren and precious children. Please keep this family in your prayers. All proceeds go to the family,” wrote Lisa Torres of the Oriole Park Falcons, a youth football and cheer program the family is involved with in northwest Chicago.
On his way to a family cabin vacation in Minnesota, Dobosh was behind the wheel of the family’s 2005 Chevrolet minivan traveling west on Interstate 90 near Hampshire when he was struck by a 2010 Acura TSX sedan traveling in the wrong direction . State troopers responded at 2:11 a.m. Sunday to the scene where the vehicles were engulfed in flames.
Six passengers in the van were killed: Lauren Dobosch, 31, her four children — Emma, 13, Lucas, 7, Nicolas, 6, and Ella, 5 — and Catriona Coziara, 13, who was a family friend.
The driver of the Acura, 22-year-old Jennifer Fernandez of Carpentersville, also died. State police said only that she was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes “for unknown reasons.”
Kasia Coziara, Catriona’s mother, told the Daily Herald on Wednesday that she is making funeral arrangements and hopes to have a memorial service at Rolling Meadows Park soon. Affectionately referred to by family and friends as Kat, the teenager was a student teacher who taught classes and mentored students in the Prospect Heights-based Breaking Program, a breakdance group that offers dance lessons and workshops.
“I appreciate your support as Catriona was and always will be loved and remembered by many,” her mother said. “She deserves the best farewell I can give to celebrate her life and her heavenly future.”
On Wednesday night, friends of Thomas Dobosch gathered for an impromptu memorial during football practice at Oriole Park in Chicago. It was the same spot where a balloon release memorial was held Monday for the remaining members of the Dobosch family and Kat Koziara.
“Tom was very good with his hands as a carpenter, mechanic, electrical work – he was like a jack of all trades,” said cheer coach Wanda Perez of Chicago.
According to Perez, Lauren and Thomas Dobosch met and became lovers at Ridgewood Community High School in Norwich. The couple later moved and raised their family in Rolling Meadows to help Lauren’s grandparents.
“They were so loving, caring and giving,” said Perez, who befriended Lauren and Tom Dobosch in 2013. “Our friendship went beyond training.”
A family member of Dobosz confirmed Wednesday that there are three online fundraising pages that have been set up on GoFundMe to help pay for funeral and other expenses.
The Oriole Park Falcons fundraiser, gofundme.com/f/dobosz-family-funeral-expenses, raised more than $98,000 for the Dobosz family.
The Rolling Meadows Police Department’s Hope Fund, gofundme.com/f/rmpd-hope-fund, has raised more than $43,000.
A page set up by Lauren Dobosz’s parents, gofundme.com/f/tom-and-lauren-dobosz-family, has raised nearly $26,000.
“I can’t imagine the pain and suffering the Dobosch and Johns families are going through,” Perez said. “I also send my sincere condolences to the family of Jennifer Fernandez because I can’t imagine how they are feeling and what they are thinking. They also suffered a loss.’
Funeral arrangements are pending.
• Daily Herald writer Scott S. Morgan contributed to this report.
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