Judson University comes together for injured students

When one person gets hurt at Judson University, everyone feels it, said Judson University President Jerry Cain.

And on Friday, everybody felt it.

Students and others at the small, Christian school in Elgin prayed throughout the day for a pair of Judson freshmen seriously injured in a car accident near the school and for the five upperclassmen authorities say were in the car that hit them. The counseling staff is available throughout the weekend for anyone who needs their assistance on campus.

Nick Schlegel, 18, of Bartlett, and Derek Radesky, 20, of Chicago, were hospitalized Thursday night after a car containing five Judson students hit the out-of-gas Ford Mustang the two were pushing on Route 31 with a third Judson student.

Judson officials, friends, family members and teammates have spent the last two days visiting the two young men, now being treated at two separate hospitals for serious, but nonlife-threatening injuries.

Both are architecture majors; Schlegel plays tennis on the men's team, Cain said.

Schlegel last year was the top boys singles player on Larkin High School's tennis team, earning three varsity letters in the sport and winning the team's most improved award.

Cain has been offering support to the family and friends who gathered to visit the two earlier at Sherman Hospital and could not recall another time in which two students were injured simultaneously.

“I've been affirming that these young men are in good hands ... and that the task of these families and friends and students is to pray that the great physician (God) will watch over these excellent physicians ... to help these students recover,” Cain said.

Authorities say that at about 10 p.m., three Judson students were pushing the 1995 Mustang to a local gas station. Two were pushing it from the back, while a third was pushing it from the driver's side door, police said.

Schlegel and Radesky were injured after a white Chevrolet Corsica slammed into their car on Route 31 between I-90 and Airport Road and pinned the two students.

The third student was not seriously hurt, authorities said.

Schlegel remains at Sherman, while Radesky was transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

Police continue to investigate, but for now are ruling out alcohol and drugs as factors.

“It appears to just be a tragic accident,” Elgin Police spokeswoman Sue Olafson said.