ECC student builds new life after tragedy

After a long year, Chris Hassan is all too familiar with the glare of the spotlight.

Most of the Chicago area first heard of Hassan when his mother, Karen, was killed. She was beaten to death with a hammer a year ago in what DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett described as "a vicious, brutal attack."

A swarm of news cameras captured Hassan's tears when he learned that his mother's body had been found in a lot near West Chicago, where she'd gone to deliver a pizza.

Hassan, 23, had a live audience as he tried to continue a normal life, which for him included performing in a play at Elgin Community College the next night.

He and his three brothers -- Steven, 26; Nick, 21; and Andy, 20 -- got used to seeing themselves in the newspapers as the press periodically checked in on their efforts to recover, and on Andy's and Nick's legal troubles.

Now the St. Charles resident is working to make sense of the tragedy and continue his life with a much smaller audience.

"People can try to relate, but it's hard to explain," Hassan said.

"People can't really grasp what it means when something like this happens."

Along with trying to catch up in school, Hassan has found solace in keeping busy with theater and student government.

"I think, after his mother's death and the outpouring of support, he actually became more involved," ECC student life director Amybeth Maurer, a friend of Hassan's, said.

"He wants to give back now."

Dealing with his mother's death, Maurer added, has also given Hassan a new perspective on his work.

"We had an incident this year where there was an attempted abduction," Maurer said, "and Chris took it personally as an opportunity to help.

"He would stay to walk women to their cars at night, and just took it upon himself to make sure everyone had the help they needed."

The stage, in particular, has been a refuge. Active in theater since he started at ECC, Hassan spends most evenings practicing with a campus improv group.

Hassan has other plans for when he finishes at ECC.

"I want to get my bachelor's from DePaul," Hassan said, "and then I'd like to try to go to law school."

Hassan's family has been following the legal proceedings against Bradley Justice, who was charged with killing Karen Hassan, but Chris doesn't go to court much anymore.

"My brother Nick still goes, but on a lot of days we just hear a couple of appeals -- there's nothing there for us."

When the legal process does move forward, Hassan says it is more frustrating than satisfying.

"We're not supposed to look at (Justice) or say anything to him during the trial," Hassan said. "I understand there are reasons, but it's like everyone's there to protect him.

"Honestly, there were days when I wanted to give in to this really deep anger, and just jump over the little barrier between us and him.

"Other days, I can accept that there's nothing I can do now but let the legal system handle it."

For Hassan, perhaps the most surreal aspect of the past year has been being thrust into the public's view.

An unexpected positive was the community's willingness to help the family. Thousands of dollars in donations poured in during the months following Karen Hassan's death, and allowed the brothers to maintain a bit of normalcy.

"I didn't have to quit school and work three jobs," Hassan explained, "and that's because of the help we got. It lifted a big burden off my shoulders."

But the public attention has also forced Hassan to relive his mother's death more often than he'd like.

"There are people who know who I am because of that," Hassan said, "but they don't know anything else about me.

"It's like a switch I have when someone asks about it. I'm trying to move forward, and I have to go back there to talk about it."

The one thing that stays with Hassan is the memory of his mother.

"My father was not around much because he was incarcerated a lot," Hassan said.

"Four boys with one parent was hard," he continued, "but she worked hard all the time to give us the things we needed.

"She tried to give us a chance in a world that's hard.

"The biggest thing she taught us -- and I know I got this from her -- is how to survive."