Former Barrington High student rides cross country in daughter's memory

A former Barrington High School exchange student from Italy is spending the next three weeks riding his bicycle across the U.S. to honor his daughter.

Lisa Corsini was killed in a car accident in Illinois nearly seven years ago. But her father, Claudio "Fab" Corsini, said she'll be there in spirit as he makes his 3,000-mile journey from California to New Jersey in her honor.

"I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in mental and emotional connection with my daughter Lisa," Corsini said via e-mail as he prepared for the trip this week. "Sharing the whole continent with her will be really special."

Corsini is riding to celebrate his 60th birthday and also pay tribute to Lisa. He's turned the ride into a fundraiser for the University of Illinois at Chicago Lisa Corsini Memorial Scholarship, which the family established after her death.

Lisa, a dual citizen of Italy and the U.S., was a 24-year old UIC nursing student enrolled in the Urbana-Champaign Regional Program when she was hit by a car and killed on Sept. 9, 2001.

She was very smart and had great determination, her father said.

"She was unusually deep in her thoughts and life choices," Corsini said.

The elder Corsini first came to the U.S., Barrington specifically, as a foreign exchange student in 1965.

John Cooke's family hosted Corsini in Barrington during his student exchange more than 40 years ago, and the two have remained in touch.

"I call him my Italian brother," said Cooke, who attended school with Corsini when he was in Barrington. "When he told me about (the ride) I was very, very encouraging of it."

The year he spent in Barrington proved pivotal for Corsini, and he listed the many people from that year who "helped shape my life," including "his American father" Henry Cooke, several teachers and his cross country coach Win Jones.

The strongest connection Corsini made was with fellow student Mary Staehle, who years later became, and remains, his wife.

Nancy Herman, director of advancement at UIC, helps run the Lisa Corsini Memorial Scholarship and said people from all over the globe are rallying behind the family.

"They make such warm friendships that they keep with people all over the world," Herman said.

A Web site promoting Corsini's ride has been viewed by people in 83 cities in 20 different countries, Herman said.

"It is an amazing and courageous endeavor," she said.

Corsini's ride kicked off Wednesday from San Diego. He plans to ride 12 to 14 hours a day in order to complete the journey on Aug. 11. The shortest stage is 111 miles, with longest topping 170 miles.

Two weeks into the trip, Corsini, along with his group of nine other riders, plans to make a special stop in Champaign area, where Lisa went to school.

"It's only fitting," Cooke said.

While nervous about enduring the physical strain of the ride, Corsini said he's excited about his adventure.

"I have dreamed of riding coast to coast ever since I fell in love with America," he said.

Each year, the scholarship is awarded to a deserving nursing student at the Urbana-Champaign Regional Program, with preference to students whose legal residence is either the state of Illinois or Italy.

For more information about Corsini's journey or how to donate to the Lisa Corsini Memorial Scholarship Fund, visit http://tigger.uic.edu/nursing/corsini/.