Fundraiser for Elgin city worker recovering from coma

A fundraiser to help with medical expenses for a city of Elgin employee recovering from a coma is Sunday.

James “Jim” Frederick, a building maintenance technician, was stricken Jan. 22 while on vacation in Puerto Rico to celebrate his best friend Bill Roman's birthday, said Roman's wife, Dana, of South Elgin. The 47-year-old lost consciousness shortly after friends came to his aid for what seemed like a severe migraine; doctors believe he suffered an aneurysm or head trauma that led to a brain bleed, Roman said.

Frederick is recovering at Presence Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines. Scans show brain activity but the extent of any brain damage remains to be determined, she said.

“His eyes are open. He will track you with his eyes if you're talking or moving around the room,” she said. “He's also able to move his left arm and left leg, and he's able to lift his head a bit. They still consider it a coma because his responses aren't consistent. We're just grateful for the small steps he's making right now.”

Frederick lived in Elgin until he moved to Oswego before getting marrying Cheryl in March 2015, Dana Roman said. He has a stepson and two stepdaughters.

“He's outgoing, generous, family-oriented,” she said. “Family is just huge with him.”

He never fails to step up and offer to help, especially when work needs to be done around the house, she said. “He just does it. He's always there, no questions asked.”

He also is an avid fisherman and loves to take people on his bass boat at Lake Puckaway in Wisconsin, she said.

Frederick, also known as “Fred,” has worked for the city of Elgin for about two years, said Building Maintenance Superintendent Rick Hoke, who is also an HVAC instructor at ECC and met Frederick when he was Hoke's student several years ago.

“We were very happy to have him (work in Elgin),” Hoke said. “Jim's a great guy. He's a good technician, he's great people. Everybody likes Jim. He gets along very well with everybody. He goes out of his way to get things done and help out with everything.”

“It's kind of a tragic thing. Everybody is still in shock.”

The benefit is 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at The Afterset, 158 Symphony Way, Elgin. You can also contribute at gofundme.com/29qswtpg or by mailing donations to Cheryl Frederick, P.O. Box 542. Oswego, IL 60543.