(The following article by Rhonda Sciarra appeared in the Chicago Daily Herald.)
CHICAGO — A Buffalo Grove teacher was struck and killed by an Amtrak train Friday morning in Gurnee.
Kent Desormey, who taught physical education at Tripp Elementary School, was hit about 8:45 a.m. on the Canadian-Pacific tracks just north of Route 41, Gurnee police said.
Desormey, a 51-year-old railroad enthusiast from Gurnee, had climbed the embankment and was on the rails as the train headed to Chicago from Milwaukee approached at 78 mph, police said.
The engineer sounded the horn prior to impact, authorities said. Police said it was snowing heavily at the time and the accident occurred at a curve in the track. Desormey was pronounced dead at the scene.
“We are definitely going to miss this man,” said school principal Julie Vroman-Brua. “He was a very integral part of the school community.”
Douglas Parks, superintendent of Aptakisic-Tripp School District 102, said the community is hurting because of the loss of a dedicated and kind educator.
Desormey had taught in the district for more than 20 years and had been at Tripp, 850 Highland Grove, since the school’s opening.
“Essentially, everyone in the school district knew Kent,” Parks said. “He has had most of our kids in class. It is extremely emotional.”
Outside of teaching, Desormey coached and officiated junior high school sports and was a fan of University of Illinois basketball.
He also had a passion for watching and filming trains, Parks said.
“He took pictures of them all of the time,” Parks said. “It was not uncommon for him on a lunch break to go watch the trains go by.”
Parks said Desormey took a personal day from work Friday but did not know circumstances of the crash.
Desormey leaves behind a wife and children. Jane Desormey said she received an outpour of support Friday night.
“I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers,” his wife said.
Counselors and social workers will be at the school Monday to help children and co-workers with Desormey’s death.
Among many phone calls Parks said he fielded Friday, one stood out.
“The parent said the child was upset and that Kent Desormey was his favorite teacher,” Parks said. “I think we will be hearing lots of that.”