Man who drowned leaves behind family, questions

When Alan G. Byrd drowned on Saturday he left behind a wife, two small children and a lot of unanswered questions.

"I don't know why he would do it," said Sarah Byrd, Alan's wife of three years. "He wasn't really a strong swimmer. He was adventurous but I didn't think he'd do something like this."

Byrd, 28, drowned Saturday in a retention basis at Sunset Meadows Park in Arlington Heights. The basin - normally a dry, grassy soccer field near Kirchoff and New Wilke roads, was flooded and up to 25 to 30 feet deep in some spots.

According to police, Byrd went to the park with two friends. It was shortly after noon when he and one friend decided to go swimming.

A woman eating lunch at the park called 911 at 12:40 p.m. after she saw Byrd "distressed" in the water, police said. Byrd's friends searched for him under the water, but couldn't find him.

Four hours later Byrd's body was found using solar technology. An autopsy on Sunday ruled his death accidental.

On Saturday, a friend called Sarah and she rushed over to the pond, about a mile from their home. While rescuers searched the pond Sarah huddled under an umbrella with other family members.

"The whole time, everyone kept telling me to prepare myself," she said. "But I didn't believe them. I really thought he was going to be OK."

Byrd's friends told firefighters they "felt a pull," as they were swimming. Arlington Heights public works employees closed the four big drains in the middle of the field to eliminate any potential suction while the divers searched, but Byrd's body was found in the same spot where he went under about 30 feet from shore. The drains, which didn't hamper divers, were reopened within an hour to help alleviate flooding in the community.

Sarah doesn't know much about what happened the day her husband died, she said.

"He was with friends and they were taking a break," she said. "That's about all I know."

Alan grew up in Rolling Meadows and graduated from Kimball Hill Elementary School and Rolling Meadows High School. A professional painter, he and Sarah were raising their two children, Cody, 5, and Kaitlyn, 11 months old, in the home Alan grew up in the 2700 block of School Drive in Rolling Meadows. Sarah recently returned to work as a waitress at Moretti's Ristorianti and Pizzaria in Schaumburg.

The two met seven years ago when friends introduced them.

"He was always positive," Sarah said. "No matter how bad things got, he could cheer me up. You know, Alan had some issues but he was trying to change himself. He was a good father."

On Monday Cody wrapped himself around his mom's legs, pushed up his glasses up and smiled. He's still too young to grasp that his father is really gone, Sarah said.

"My son, he just doesn't understand why I'm so sad," she said. "He sees me crying and can't take it. He's so sensitive."

Alan's aunt, Brenda Bernas, said her nephew was a sweet person.

Hopefully, this will be a lesson," she said. "Those retention ponds are dangerous."

Arlington Heights police said the investigation into Byrd's death is closed.

"A preliminary police investigation determined that this was an impulsive act that resulted in a tragic ending," according to a police media release. "At this point no criminal activity is suspected and alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor."

Byrd's wake will be from 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Meadows Funeral Home, 3615 Kirchoff Road in Rolling Meadows. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Memory Gardens in Arlington Heights.