Friends, family remember Dundee-Crown student
On a recent day, a classmate saw Christian Stilwell walking down the hall of Dundee-Crown High School with an energetic, fast-paced gait.
The student asked Christian what he was doing. Christian's answer? “I'm happy, I'm in school!”
That was among the countless stories that friends and classmates have been telling about Christian, his father, Larry Stilwell, said at his son's memorial service Wednesday night at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington.
Remembering the Algonquin teen's life was all about sharing tales of Christian's hugs, his commitment to serve others and his deep love for singing, theater and music, as more than 1,500 people gathered to remember the 17-year-old junior class president at Dundee-Crown.
Christian was found dead in his bed early last Friday morning, and a cause of death has not yet been determined.
The service included video clips from some of the more than 25 theatrical productions that Christian participated in through school, church, and the after-school program Christian Youth Theater, as well as musical numbers from “Godspell” and “Les Miserables.”
Kerry Cox, a director for Christian Youth Theater, remembered Christian's “amazing voice,” and his unfaltering drive to be there for others. “‘What can I do to help?' That's what he always said,” Cox said.
Christian was adopted at four months from Paraguay. From the time he was a little boy, he had an amazing desire to connect with others, Larry Stilwell said. “No one was a stranger to him. He was always the first person to walk across the room,” he said.
The teen, who wanted to become an event planner, was well-known for carrying around a clipboard filled with ideas and projects. He was also very active at Willow Creek, where he volunteered and mentored younger kids, among many other activities. “He could not, not serve. It was in his DNA,” his father said.
Friend Nick Reedy, a fellow student at Dundee-Crown, remembered Christian's unwavering belief that everyone deserves “unconditional, crazy love.”
“It was in his nature to completely dominate someone else with love,” Nick said. “For him, love is love. There are no ifs, ands, or buts.”
Two scholarship funds are being established in Christian's memory: A one-time scholarship for a Dundee-Crown High School class of 2012 student, and an annual scholarship for a Christian Youth Theater student. Checks can be made out to The Christian Stilwell Scholarship Fund and mailed to 710 Hackberry Lane, Algonquin, IL 60102.