Hawthorn Woods turns out to give soldier warm welcome

There may have been plenty of snow and ice on the ground, but inside the Osikowicz home in Hawthorn Woods, hearts were warm enough to melt even the chilliest frost.

As the family welcomed their son, Army Spc. Craig Osikowicz, who has served in Iraq since 2005, home for the holidays Tuesday, they thanked all those who attended to make his homecoming special.

"The waiting has been the hardest part," said Craig's dad, Gene Osikowicz. "He's home now so it's fantastic."

With a police escort and a proclamation from the village of Hawthorn Woods, the returning soldier stepped out of his parents' car and into a house full of friends, family and well-wishers.

Osikowicz, 20, said he was "extremely" surprised by all the attention, from the blaring police sirens to a visit from the mayor to read a resolution passed by the village board in his honor..

"I was not expecting this," Osikowicz said. "It's pretty cool."

Sitting in a car on Osikowicz's street holding an American flag, Emily Andreasik said she attended merely to show her appreciation.

"We just wanted to tell them, we support the troops," she said.

Hawthorn Woods Mayor Keith Hunt said events like this are important, not just for the returning soldiers, but also for the community.

"I think we get so caught up in our daily routine, we tend to forget the people who sacrifice their lives," he said.

Osikowicz, a Lake Zurich High School graduate, signed up for military service while still in high school.

His mother, Sue, said she was ecstatic to see him again after such a long wait and so much worrying about his safety.

"It's been a long time," she said. "When you read things in the paper, you get nervous."

But she also expressed another common sentiment in the Osikowicz home Tuesday morning.

"I'm very proud of him," she said. "He's learned a lot."

Osikowicz will return to Iraq Jan. 3.

But before that, his family will take him on a trip to Florida for a respite from the bitter Illinois winter. In the meantime, his mission is simple:

"I'm just looking to get some sleep," he said with a smile.