Carol Stream Mayor and community mourn Glenbard North graduate Giana Dettloff

Glenbard North High School Gathers for Visitation of Giana Dettloff

“Tomorrow’s not promised. You gotta hug your kids extra hard.”

That stark reality hangs over the western suburbs this week as hundreds of mourners gather at Glenbard North High School for the visitation of Giana Dettloff, a 19-year-old recent graduate killed during a mass shooting on Halloween weekend, abc7chicago.com reported.

Family, friends mourn Giana Dettloff after Illinois mass shooting

Dettloff, who had graduated from the Carol Stream high school with honors and cheered on the sidelines before moving on to her freshman year at North Central College in Naperville, was visiting a friend in Bloomington when gunfire erupted near Illinois Wesleyan University. She was one of nine people struck by bullets during the rampage. While six of those victims have since been released from local hospitals, police report that a definitive motive remains elusive and no arrests have been made.

Thursday with a procession of vehicles, including a hearse carrying Dettloff, from a funeral home in Bloomingdale. To accommodate the massive crowd expected to pay their respects, organizers moved the visitation into the high school’s gymnasium at 990 Kuhn Road, keeping doors open until 9 p.m.

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Carol Stream Mayor Frank Saverino and his wife, Debbie, joined community members at the high school on Wednesday to help hang commemorative ribbons in her honor. Debbie Saverino reflected on the profound loss, noting how hard it is for everyone involved to say goodbye to someone who simply did not deserve this fate.

Mayor Saverino emphasized that Dettloff’s dedication to her community extended well beyond her graduation day, as she frequently returned to mentor and support younger students in the cheerleading program.

Glenbard north high school carol stream il schoolphoto

“This young lady not only went through the high school but come back and helped younger kids through the cheer. She’s a phenomenal person,” Mayor Saverino said.

The Dettloff family maintains deep roots in Carol Stream, and local leaders who have known them for years are supporting the family through the coming days. Following Thursday night’s visitation, the family plans to hold a private Mass on Friday morning.