Teammates, friends honor former Bartlett football player who died
The boys who led Bartlett High School to the semifinals of the Class 8A football playoffs in 2008 were a tough bunch. That included defensive lineman Kyle Kirchhoff, or “Choff” to his friends.
On Monday those teammates hugged and cried as they gathered at the “spirit rock” in front of the high school to honor their friend, who died Friday. Kirchhoff, 24, of Hanover Park, died after falling from a catwalk while attending a concert at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
Many in the crowd wore T-shirts bearing the number 98. They watched as Kirchhoff's two brothers, his mother, a grandmother and several teammates spray-painted the rock in the school's colors and Kirchhoff's jersey number and nickname.
His brother Kevin led the informal rite. Head football coach Tom Meaney also spoke.
“Just thinking about how passionate he was. He never did anything (halfheartedly). He was always, always all in,” said teammate Kyle Zelinsky. He called on the crowd to “implement a few of the characteristics” of Kirchhoff every day. “Just try to represent him in a positive manner.”
Another teammate has started an online fundraising campaign, which as of Monday night had raised more than $18,000. The money will be donated to the Bartlett football program and the Loras College football program. Kirchhoff graduated from Loras in 2013 with a degree in sports management. He had worked as an assistant coach for Meaney and was an assistant coach at College of DuPage.
Kevin Kirchhoff announced that visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Salerno's Rosedale Chapels in Roselle. A funeral Mass is planned for Friday morning at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Bloomingdale, he said, but a time has not been determined.