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Caregiver for N. Barrington family honored at surprise ceremony

Lucas Leger received a big surprise, and achieved an even bigger honor, when he showed up to work in North Barrington Wednesday afternoon.

Leger, who works as a home caregiver for BrightStar Care, learned he'd been named Caregiver of the Year for the company's Midwest region.

He was nominated for the honor by the family of Paul Launer, a North Barrington man who suffers from ALS. They told the company's nominating committee that Leger cared not only for Paul, but for the whole family.

To tell Leger that he'd been picked over hundreds of caregivers, a group of co-workers threw him a surprise party in the Launers' backyard.

"A lot of people say that caregiving is a thankless job," said Leger, who figured something was up when he spotted 21 cars and SUVs conspicuously parked outside the Launer home. "Not this time."

Even though Leger, 25, works full-time providing care for his clients, he occasionally will assist Launer off-the-clock, said Eric Speichinger, who owns the BrightStar franchise in Crystal Lake. Speichinger said Leger even helped the Launer family at the Les Turner's 13th annual ALS Walk for Life two weeks ago at Soldier Field.

"We surprised him and paid him for doing that," Speichinger said. "He thought he'd be in trouble for working too much."

Walk for Life is just one event that Leger, a Woodstock resident, has helped Paul Launer attend since he started caring for him in June 2013.

Launer, 47, was diagnosed with ALS in June 2011. He now has limited use of his hands, legs and speech.

Over the past two years, Launer's ALS awareness and fundraising organization, the Iron Horse Brigade, has raised nearly $250,000 for the Les Turner Foundation, according to Bob Lee, a Barrington resident and foundation volunteer.

Tom Gilday, the President and CEO of BrightStar, presented the Launer family and the Les Turner Foundation with a check for $5,000, bringing their yearly fundraising total above $146,000.

For winning caregiver of the year, Leger received a $5,000 scholarship for him or a member of his family and weeklong stay at a luxury hotel in Arizona, where he will attend the company's yearly gala.

On top of all that, Leger had the opportunity to dump ice water on Speichinger as part of a long-overdue ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

"What other person can say they got to dump a bucket of ice on their bosses' head and get away with it?" Leger said with a laugh.

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Lucas Leger laughs in surprise upon seeing a backyard full of co-workers congratulating him on being named Caregiver of the Year by his company at the home of his client, Paul Launer of North Barrington. Leger has been helping to take care of Launer since June 2013. Photo courtesy Bob Lee
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