Elgin man passes out at Fox Fire Fest, dies later

Daniel Jackson lived on Elgin's east side for 30 years and during that time, took daily walks to Lords Park and fed the geese - it didn't matter what the weather was doing outside, said his youngest brother John, who also lives in Elgin.

"Whatever (food) he had, he'd actually go out and specifically get stuff for the geese," John Jackson said. "He was the sweetest person I'd ever met in my life."

The 54-year-old festival regular passed away Saturday night at Sherman Hospital after being found unconscious in a portable toilet at Elgin's FoxFireFest.

He died of natural causes, the Kane County coroner's office said.

John Jackson said his older brother, who had a functioning form of schizophrenia, struggled with various health issues that led to his death.

Moments after the festival's fireworks show concluded, parks maintenance workers at 11:05 p.m. found Jackson, Deputy Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said.

Firefighters already on the scene worked to revive Jackson and took him to Sherman, where he was pronounced dead, Swoboda said.

Swoboda estimated Jackson had been in the compartment for between 20 and 30 minutes - police had done a full sweep of Festival Park about a half-hour earlier in search of a missing child and had not discovered Jackson at that time.

At the time parks crews found Jackson, they were making a final check to make sure the park was empty, Swoboda said.

Jackson never owned a car and walked everywhere in town.

He was a "regular statue" at the Dunkin' Donuts on National Street and at Al's Cafe in the downtown, his brother said.

He also collected T-shirts and bandannas from the various Elgin festivals he'd attended over the years. Jackson lived alone.

He frequently sent Christmas cards to all of the places he patronized, his brother said.

Likewise, he kept every card that anyone had ever sent to him.

"I teared up because I found my (20-year-old) daughter's first birthday invitation," the younger Jackson said.

Jackson is survived by his daughter, Stephanie Marie, brothers John and Samuel and two sisters, Kathleen Vallo and Ranee Roach.

Visitation is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Wait Ross-Allanson Funeral and Cremation Services Chapel in Elgin.

Services begin at 6 p.m. and burial will be private.