Family, friends mourn Barrington High grad slain at 25

Family and friends are remembering a former Barrington High School wrestler who founded his own company at 19 for his adventurous, independent spirit.

But they are also mourning the loss of a life cut short at 25 by a deadly assault late last month.

Chicago police said Xander Kazanowski was found unresponsive on the ground with injuries to his head at about 3:19 a.m. March 24 on the 3900 block of West Belmont Avenue. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.

His family said Kazanowski, a Chicago resident, died surrounded by family members March 28. His last act was donating his organs.

Cook County authorities said the cause of death was homicide from blunt head trauma due to an assault.

Detectives are still investigating, Chicago police said.

Kazanowski grew up in South Barrington.

His brother Christian said Kazanowski displayed his principled nature early on by donating birthday gifts to charity while in grade school.

At Barrington High School, Kazanowski distinguished himself on the wrestling mat and was voted “most opinionated” by his peers.

The grit and tenacity he brought to his athletic endeavors transferred to other arenas. At just 19, he founded Wurk Services, a company, according to its website, “dedicated to helping you make time to do more of what you love.”

Starting by offering landscaping services in Barrington, it grew to provide more than 50 different services, including painting, cleaning and moving, to the Chicago area, partnering with small businesses and local providers.

“His aim was providing gig-economy services,” his brother Christian said. “Basically a platform-type business that would match people with odd jobs and people who are looking to work on their own. An Uber-type concept.”

A Renaissance man, he expressed himself through acting, modeling and singing at open-mic nights.

Kazanowski made many friends on social media, including Palatine resident Rhonda Faklaris.

“He was always posting and offering his services to help people, and he was very religious,” she said. “He touched my heart that he was such a nice young man, and that he was trying to do all these things to better himself.”

He was the father to daughter Thea, and looking forward to the birth of a son with his partner Tori Zanoni, family said.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Donations can be made to the memorial fund established in his honor at https://gofund.me/1947aac59.