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42 | May 3, 2018 | The frankfort station sports frankfortstation.com Lincoln-Way East graduate inspires epilepsy awareness game Submitted by Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Lincoln-Way East alumna Lauren Knepper is the brainchild behind Lincoln- Way’s first Epilepsy Awareness Game. Photo submitted On May 3, at 4:30 p.m. the Lincoln-Way Central Knights softball team will host the Lincoln-Way West Warriors in its first Epilepsy Awareness Game. Knight and Warrior players and coaches will be decked out in purple to support epilepsy awareness. The idea for the game was prompted by Lincoln-Way East graduate Lauren Knepper, who initially reached out to Lincoln-Way Central Athletic Director Matthew Lyke in early April. She told Lyke that she wanted to coordinate efforts for an official Epilepsy Awareness Game, and Lyke connected her to Lincoln-Way Central head softball coach Jeff Tarala. Knepper graduated from high school in 2012 and eagerly enrolled in college at Saint Xavier University in the fall. Just when she was getting settled into college, she says that her world “came crashing down.” “My friend found me unresponsive in my bed after I hadn’t answered any of her texts or calls,” Knepper said. “I was rushed to the ER and spent several days in a medication-induced coma in their neurology ICU and even longer on the neurology floor. I woke up with a breathing tube in. Cords, wires, IVs, machines, drains and devices were everywhere. I couldn’t talk or move; it was the scariest feeling of my life. My nurse told me I was lucky to be alive. I learned I had gone into status epilepticus, a continuous seizure state that can cause death.” Knepper then began to have grand mal seizures three to four times per week. After medications, countless appointments, hospitalizations and a surgery designed to help her condition, Knepper says she “finally started to gain a little more control over my life.” Before her senior year, Knepper earned a student leadership position, meaning she would have her own room without a roommate. “The summer before my senior year, I was frantically looking for any kind of solution to being alone at night,” she said. “This is something that people with epilepsy can get very nervous about because you can suffocate in your pillow, fall out of bed, injure yourself or go into continuous seizure state — many of which can lead to death. That’s when I found out about The Danny Did Foundation. After I applied, they paid in full for a bed alarm for me and sent it to me the next week.” The alarm is designed to sound when it senses certain movements over a certain amount of time, and would alert Knepper’s suitemate to ensure she was safe at night. “It definitely saved my life more than once during school,” she said. Since then, Knepper has become more independent and gained more control over her seizures. She even works as a nurse in the same hospital that saved her life, and has become an active member of The Danny Did Foundation’s Young Professionals Board: a motivating force for Knepper to raise awareness of her disease, as well as help others with epilepsy. “After meeting Danny’s family and hearing how this little boy helped so many people through those who loved him, I knew I had to join their family in this endeavor,” she said. The Lincoln-Way Central vs. Lincoln-Way West softball game is just one of many ways Knepper plans on spreading epilepsy awareness this year. “Any opportunity to help a former graduate of Lincoln- Way and the community in a positive way is what we should be about,” Tarala said. “Lauren’s story is so powerful; this is an opportunity to educate the girls and others in the community about others’ struggles, and to get involved in something that is bigger than ourselves.” Those who wish to support epilepsy awareness are invited to attend the May 3 game at Lincoln-Way Central. During the game, Knepper will be handing out information about The Danny Did Foundation. She will also host a basket raffle with items donated by local businesses; funds raised will be donated to The Danny Did Foundation. Those who wish to learn more about The Danny Did Foundation, seizure safety and the little boy who sparked the movement can visit dannydid.org. Thursday morning quarterback Stevie’s spirit lives on with area baseball tournament Jeff Vorva, Sports Editor Steven Bajenski died in 2009 at age 17 after a lifetime of serious health ailments. He would have turned 26 on Tuesday, May 8. Photo submitted To be honest, I wish I never heard of Steven M. Bajenski. I wish I never heard of the Do It Stevie’s Way 219 Foundation. I wish there wasn’t a Do It Stevie’s Way high school baseball tournament – one of the coolest tournaments in the south suburbs, if not the state. As a parent – heck as a human – I wish Steven was a normal, healthy man who is living his life. Maybe he would be a young hotshot on the rise at his chosen profession. Maybe he would be like many of us working hard to pay the bills and worrying about how much money that funny sound in his car engine is going to cost him. Either way, he would still be here and that would make his family very happy. But that’s not how the cards were dealt. Steven Bajenski would have turned 26 on Tuesday, May 8. But the Mokena resident died at age 17 after living life with a series of serious health ailments, including having open-heart surgery performed on him when he was just 10 weeks old. He loved sports and played baseball, basketball and football even though he was usually one of the smallest players on whatever team he was on. He became a legendary player with the Illinois Sparks and Mt. Carmel. He wasn’t a star, but he was an inspiration. Bajenski died in 2009. A year later, family and friends cooked up a baseball tournament in his honor and to raise money for scholarships for student athletes. So far, the tournament, now in his seventh year, has raised six figures for the cause and Sandburg’s Branden Comia and Lemont’s Easton Tally were scholarship award winners for 2018. The tournament has grown from eight to 14 teams. Providence Catholic, Sandburg and Lockport are schools in the 22nd Century Media coverage area in the tournament. Schools with area students attending including Brother Rice, Marist, St. Laurence, Mt. Carmel, Marian Catholic and St. Rita are also a part of the tournament. Some opening round games have already taken place in March and April (Providence and Sandburg were among the openinground winners) but things are really going to heat up May 16-19 at various ballyards including Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood, Joliet Route 66 Stadium and Wheaton College. It’s a nice pre-cursor to the Illinois High School Association Class 3A and 4A playoffs, which begin May 21. I hate to admit it, but the first time I heard of the tournament was in 2012, when two teams had a brawl during one of the tournament games and it made news in Chicago. The first thing I thought was “I’ll bet that’s not Stevie’s way.” Stevie’s father, Mark, told CBS Chicago that the family and members of the foundation were “disheartened” by the brawl and “I want (Stevie) to be remember for a kid who got it, who did it the right way.” Aside from that incident, the tournament has delivered nothing but top-notch baseball. St. Rita won the first tournament, beating Mount Carmel, 10-4, in the championship game. After that, champions were Joliet Catholic, Andrean (from Indiana), Mount Carmel, and St. Rita won again in 2016 and 2017. Could this be Sandburg, Providence or Lockport’s year? Every year around this time, Stevie’s parents, Mark and Karen, must have an ache in their hearts because he is no longer around. But they must also have a lot of pride in their hearts that Stevie’s spirit is still inspiring and helping high school athletes.
frankfortstation.com sports the frankfort station | May 3, 2018 | 43 Athlete of the Month Lincoln-Way West water polo player wins April honor Bill Jones, Managing Editor Josh Carlson, a senior on the Lincoln-Way West boys swim and water polo teams, won the April Athlete of the Month competition for publisher 22nd Century Media’s Southwest Chicago branch. 22nd Century Media File Photo Lincoln-Way West senior Josh Carlson has been finding his way around a pool since the age of 5. And in his freshman year of high school, he added water polo to his already strong swim game. Now, he is a leader for the Warriors. He also is a certifiable leader in area sports, as well. Last month, he led the way in votes to claim 22nd Century Media’s Southwest Chicago Athlete of the Month crown for April. The Athlete of the Month competition pits featured Athlete of the Week selections from our south suburban newspapers against one another in an online voting contest. The next contest is to begin Thursday, May 10. To vote, visit Frankfort- Station.com, hover over the “Sports” menu tab and click “Athlete of the Month.” Readers can vote once per session per valid email address. Voting ends at 5 p.m. May 25. All athletes featured in the April Athlete of the Week sports interviews are automatically entered into the contest. Designed With You In Mind HOMER GLEN Our open floor plans allow you to customize your home to fit your dreams and desires. Ranch and 2-story townhomes feature a first floor master along with additional bedrooms. Townhomes worth the drive, and the ultimate in easy-living luxury. Ranch and Two-story Townhomes FROM THE LOW $400’s Located on the East Side of Parker Rd. at 146th St. (across the street from Culver Park). Sales Office is at 14640 Aster Lane in Homer Glen. Phone: 630-381-1100 Open Fri. – Tues. 11-5 or by appointment.
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