On Wednesday, April 3, State Senator Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) honored the life of Illinois State Police Trooper Gerald (Jerry) Ellis and called for a moment of silence on the Illinois Senate Floor.
Trooper Ellis of Antioch died Saturday, March 30 when his squad car was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on I-94 just east of Libertyville.
Listen to Sen. McConchie’s full remarks below:
Transcript:
It with great sadness that I ask this body to remember the life of yet another Illinois State Police Trooper, who was recklessly killed in a crash.
Trooper Gerald Ellis of Antioch died Saturday when his squad car was struck head-on by someone driving in the wrong direction on I-94 just east of Libertyville.
To be honest, I’m at a loss for words as Trooper Ellis is the third trooper to be killed in a crash this year.
We can’t even begin to image the extent of anger and sadness his family must be feeling, but we can honor and remember his service, and the sacrifice he made.
I’m sure most everyone has heard Trooper Ellis’ heroic story by now…but for anyone who hasn’t, allow me to do my best to explain just how courageous he was.
On the morning of Saturday, March 30, Trooper Ellis was on his way home on I-94 when he noticed a car driving in the wrong direction headed toward traffic.
According to an unconfirmed eyewitness account, Trooper Ellis selflessly veered himself into the path of the wrong-way driver, saving the lives of the people behind him.
And this isn’t the first time Trooper Ellis made a swift, in-the-moment decision to save a life.
Just a week before he died, he went out of his way to help save the life of an overdose victim.
Even though it wasn’t his call to respond to, Trooper Ellis responded to the incident, and using Naloxone and a defibrillator, Ellis helped bring the overdose victim back to life.
His actions are the true definition of heroism.
Trooper Ellis put his life on the line every single day to save others.
Because of him, so many families get to hold their loved ones again, but his family never will.
So today, I am asking you to keep his wife, two young daughters, and the rest of his family in your prayers as they endure what no one should ever have to endure.
Trooper Ellis will most likely be remembered among the others that have been killed so far this year, but let us all do our very best to remember each one of these troopers individually and not just as a number that make up this year’s puzzling statistic.
I ask that we have a brief moment of silence in Trooper Ellis’ honor.