Scouts recall boy who worked hard, stayed positive

Garrett Finnerty was the kind of kid who kept working at baseball even though he "wasn't a shining star" in the sport.

And Dave Dillon, who was his Cub Scout leader and worked with him in sports, knows how hard that is for anyone, much less a young boy.

Garrett was tapped to pitch for one of the last games of a baseball season.

"He didn't want to pitch; he was scared," said Dillon. "He did a fabulous job. He always worked hard."

Dillon was one of the adults who broke down a bit when he spoke Wednesday night at a Scout service to honor Garrett, who died in a fire that also killed his parents at their Arlington Heights home.

Garrett and his father did shine in the annual pinewood derby, Dillon said, making very creative little cars. One he remembers was actually two cars crashing together.

"But they wanted to win the race, too, and I think eventually they did get it to make it down the ramp," Dillon said.

Most of the approximately 100 people who came to the basement of St. Simon's Episcopal Church seemed to be Scouts and their families. The Arlington Heights church sponsors Boy Scout Troop 159, which the 11-year-old had just "flown up" to, and Cub Scout Pack 130. He was a Cub Scout from first grade until joining the Boy Scout troop.

The evening was a mixture of Scout ceremony and religious readings and prayers, with some tears, a few laughs and unusually quiet youngsters. At the end the Scouts were invited to each light a candle "to bring a little light into this night," at the direction of The Very Rev. Robert P. Dekker, rector of St. Simon's.

Garrett was a boy "who said yes," reported Kevin Dwyer, principal of Westgate Elementary School, where Garrett was in fifth grade. He and a few adult Scouts were the only ones who delivered memories of Garrett during the service.

Dwyer related the story of talking with one of Garrett's friends, who was looking at the memorial outside the elementary school.

The boy said Garrett invited him to play ball when others thought the teams were even and always asked him to be part of things when others might not.

Dwyer urged the Scouts to find creative ways to raise money for scholarships and other needs for Garrett's two surviving siblings as a gift from Garrett.

He referred to the Boy Scout motto, "Be prepared."

"You are prepared to give hugs and encouragement to others who need it in this time of sorrow and sadness," he said.