Vernon Hills police officer dies of cancer

A decorated Vernon Hills police officer succumbed to esophageal cancer Wednesday.

Officer Andy Rheintgen had been with the department for 17 years, first as a community service officer and then as a sworn officer. He was diagnosed with cancer last year.

"Not only has the Vernon Hills Police Department and the entire community lost a valued member, we have also lost a friend," a statement on the department's Facebook page read.

Rheintgen, 39, who grew up in Vernon Hills, died a day after being taken to a suburban hospice facility. As the ambulance transporting him passed through Vernon Hills, dozens of police officers from Vernon Hills and other agencies, as well as friends and relatives, stood along Route 60 to show their support, officials said.

Many saluted. One reached out to touch the ambulance as it passed.

Chief Mark Fleischhauer recalled Rheintgen was the first officer he swore in after becoming chief in 2000.

"I'll always remember Andy (for that)," Fleischhauer said.

Rheintgen once received a Lifesaving Award for rescuing a resident from a burning house before firefighters arrived, Fleischhauer said. He also received a commendation in 2014 for his role in the arrest of a suspected serial arsonist.

Rheintgen was active in the department's community events, including National Night Out and the Special Olympics.

"He was a very, very giving person," Fleischhauer said.

Outside of work, Rheintgen was a "fanatical" supporter of the Chicago Bears. He was a longtime season-ticket holder and often brought his fellow police officers to games, Fleischhauer said.

"We all should have known something was seriously wrong with Andy last August when he predicted the Bears were going to go 13-3 and be in the Super Bowl," Fleischhauer recalled with a hearty laugh. "That's him."

Mayor Roger Byrne called Rheintgen an "excellent officer."

"He served and protected with dignity and honor, and he will be sorely missed," Byrne said.

Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor, a Vernon Hills Republican, was among those expressing grief on social media.

"This is a huge loss for our community," Lawlor said on his Facebook page. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Vernon Hills Police Department and Andy's family."

Rheintgen's survivors include his wife, Susan, and a daughter.