Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Concert returns to St. Charles

The St. Charles community will celebrate music, unity, and hope as the 13th annual Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Concert kicks off the summer concert series in Lincoln Park, between Fourth and Fifth streets in downtown St. Charles.

The free concert, scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 28, will celebrate the life of Tyler Caruso, a St. Charles East High School student leader, musician, athlete, and community activist who died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on July 14, 2002, at the age of 17.

Tyler devoted countless hours to the betterment of his high school and community. He had dreams for the future. One such dream has become a reality over the past 13 years, with the help of many dedicated individuals from the St. Charles Park District and high school representatives on the board of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership.

Tyler was one of the original high school representatives on the DSCP board. He had the idea to bring the community together for an evening of music and friendship soon after the St. Charles High Schools split into St. Charles East and St. Charles North High Schools. Tyler's untimely death preceded the first of many annual concerts held in his honor.

Family and friends will, once again, come together this month to celebrate Tyler's many accomplishments and the success of his concert over the past 13 years.

This year's St. Charles East High School representative, John Born, says about this year's concert, "It's really great that the two schools join together to keep Tyler's spirit alive and bring the community together for a night of great music."

Many local musicians and vocalists will be showcased at this year's event. The 2015 Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Scholarship recipients from both high schools will be introduced on stage. A total of 36 scholarships have been awarded from Tyler's fund.

The St. Charles North High School representative, Lucy Gruber, said, "Working on this concert has been an honor. I like building relationships between our schools. The concert does that and brings information about Tyler's memorial fund to the community."

The concert is free to the public. Monetary contributions can be made to benefit the scholarship fund. If you cannot attend the concert, you can mail a donation to: Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Charles East High School, 1020 Dunham Road, St. Charles, IL, 60174.

The Caruso family extends a special thank you to Onesti Entertainment and R/J Recording & Sound for their generous contributions in making this a successful event.

In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the historic Arcada Theatre, 105 East Main Street, St. Charles. For details, call 630-513-6200 or visit www.tylerbrettcaruso.com.