Page 48 - December 2018

Honoring a Hero
A community mourns one of its own
■ BY DAN CAMPANA AND ERIKA WURST
Blue ribbons dotted light poles, bike racks and door han- dles across Edison Park to honor its native son, Officer Samuel Jimenez.
The ribbons were more than symbolic on the gates outside Moretti’s Ristorante & Pizzeria. As a young man growing up in the neighborhood, Jimenez and his brothers worked at the pop- ular pizza place. In a transient industry where people come and go, Jimenez stood out.
“He was the nicest kid. He was happy here, but he knew there was something better for him. Being a police officer is all he talk- ed about. Oh my God, it’s the only thing he ever wanted to do,” said Moretti’s bartender Alison Belz, who worked with Jimenez and his brothers a decade ago. “He was older than his time. He didn’t act like the rest of the 17 year olds. He was already mature. It kind of amazes you that someone so young could be so fo- cused on taking care of other people. He always thought about his family and friends and what he wanted to do with his life.”
A neighborhood known as home to many first responders blanketed itself in blue to mourn Jimenez. Almost immediately, everyone came together to organize ribbon cuttings, fundraise and figure out ways to support the Jimenez family and fellow police officers left to cope with the tragedy. Behind the mission was Edison Park Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Me- lissa McIntyre, who was devastated to learn of Jimenez’s pass- ing.
As the daughter of a retired CPD officer, McIntyre also has cousins, uncles and a boyfriend who serve. Given that link, her eagerness to do something to honor Jimenez and keep his memory alive was a genuine reaction.
“I don’t know [the Jimenez family] personally, but we’re all connected in some way,” McIntyre said. “We’re a blue family, and when you say that, that’s what that means. We’re all family in this together.”
McIntyre contacted Firewater Saloon and Moretti’s to put together an impromptu fundraiser, which would go on to raise more than $10,000 for Jimenez’s wife and children. The word- of-mouth gathering spread on social media, and Firewater Sa- loon was flooded with folks on Nov. 20 in support of their fallen neighbor.
“The whole neighborhood came together. Not just the neigh- borhood, his whole team came [here] that night. Everyone from [districts] all over Chicago, really, were concentrated here,” said Veronica Oswald, Firewater’s manager and owner. “It was such a sad day for everyone here because so many people knew him from the neighborhood. At the same time, it was so heartwarm- ing to see all those people come here — especially a large group of the young police force.”
Jimenez’s death struck Oswald deeply because they worked together at Moretti’s.
“I know everyone has something nice to say, but this is the honest-to-God’s truth — he was the nicest, sweetest person. He always said he wanted to make his life better. He wanted to go to school and become a police officer so he could provide for his family,” Oswald said. “It really hit close to home. You hear about these things every day, when it hits close to home, it always gets
48 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2018