Buffalo Grove Resident Comes to Crash Victims’ Aid — Again

For Ken Hechtman, it wasn’t enough to save two people from a fiery crash on the Eden’s Expressway this spring. Since then, he’s been on a mission to help in any way he can.

“They’re going to be suffering for many, many years,” he said.

The Buffalo Grove resident pulled a 39-year-old mother and her 10-year-old daughter from their flame-engulfed car that was trapped under a semi-truck that ran into them on an April night.

“She was on fire, and she’s trying to get her daughter’s seatbelt off, and she’s not leaving that car without her daughter,” Hechtman, 61, said.

“I got to watch unconditional in action. That changed me,” he said. “It reassured me that I’m not alone. There are people out there that care more about others than they care about themselves.” 

The crash victims wound up hospitalized with serious burns. Concerned about their conditions, Hechtman tracked the two down and learned more about their circumstances.

While the woman was in the hospital, she was evicted from her home. Her belongings were thrown outside and then stolen, Hechtman said.

So he came to her rescue a second time, spearheading a donation drive that netted kitchen supplies, computers, furniture and clothing for the family. “We loaded up an entire moving truck,” he said.

Still not done, Hechtman is now asking for the community’s support. He’s staging a fundraiser Aug. 3 at Cubby Bear North in Lincolnshire to benefit Gloria Garcia and her daughter, Gianna.

The event, scheduled from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., will include a silent auction, live auction and raffles. 

Prizes will include hotel packages, including one with Marriott tickets and dinner at Flemings; golf outings; and signed sports memorabilia. Among the donations is a hockey stick autographed by the Chicago Blackhawks’ Sheldon Brookbank; a Chicago Cubs jersey signed by Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Andre Dawson, Kerry Wood and Ernie Banks; and a signed and framed jersey from the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose.

Former Chicago White Sox player Minnie Mimosa will be on hand to give autographs from 7-9 p.m., Hechtman said, and the event’s beneficiaries will be among the guests.

All revenue from the auctions and raffles will benefit the Garcia family, as will the event’s $10 cover charge, Hechtman said. Entertainment will be provided by the band Not For Profit and guitarist Kevin Mileski.

Friends, relatives and local businesses have contributed toward his fundraising efforts, he said. This weekend’s event will include sweets donated by Shalom Kosher Bakery and Deerfields Bakery, he said.

“It’s not about me doing this or me doing that. I’ve had so much help from so many people,” he said. “It was a collective effort. It was networking.”

Hechtman, who owns Ken’s Diner in Skokie, said it’s simply his nature to put others first.

“People need somebody to be there. People need to know that they’re not alone in the world,” he said. 

Can’t make it to the fundraiser? Donations can also be made to the family via the nonprofit Doug Davis Foundation.