Church reaching out to family after tragedy

At St. Peter Lutheran Church, the Engelhardt family is just that - a part of the family and known to everyone, Pastor David Hudak said Saturday.

"The entire family was a member of the church," he said. "... Everyone knows them. We are all surrounding them with love right now."

The Schaumburg church is reaching out to help the Hoffman Estates family in the aftermath of a violent attack that left three of them dead and one in critical condition.

Conant High School senior Laura Engelhardt, 18, her father Alan Engelhardt, 57, and her maternal grandmother Marlene Gacek, 73, are dead, and Laura's mom, Shelly Engelhardt, is in critical condition at the hospital.

Prosecutors say that D'Andre D. Howard, 20, of Hoffman Estates, attacked them with a butcher knife early Friday in a rage after a fight with his girlfriend, Amanda Engelhardt, 23, the eldest daughter of Alan and Shelly. That attack occurred at the family's home on Bluebonnet Lane.

Hudak said the Engelhardts are a "faith-filled family" that was involved in the church and its school. All three of the Engelhardt children, Amanda, Laura and Jeff, who was away at college at the time of the attack, attended the Lutheran school and were confirmed there. He said that during high school, Jeff played the drums in the church's praise band.

Shelly Engelhardt was involved in the church's women's organization, helping out with church sales and the like, Hudak said, while Alan was a regular at church and supported various school activities. When Laura was in sixth grade there, Alan coached her basketball team, friends said.

Hudak, who has been pastor for 17 years, said both Shelly and Alan attended services on Easter.

The pastor said it is obviously a very difficult time for the family and for the entire church family.

He said the church has been ministering to the family, praying with them and for them.

Hudak said church leaders are trying to send a message of hope in the wake of the tragedy.

"The message is the same one we shared with everyone at Easter and that is that Easter is a time of hope... That Christ is with them, that he will not forsake them even in this very difficult time."