Сержант Национальной гвардии Иллинойса погиб в ДТП в графстве Бьюро

BUREAU COUNTY, Ill. (KWQC) -An Illinois National Guard member died in a crash over the weekend in Bureau County. According to the Illinois National Guard, 21-year-old Spc. Aiden Mrotek was on his way home to Carpentersville after assisting with the guard’s community outreach initiative in Kewanee Sunday night. The Bureau County Sheriff’s Office reported Mrotek’s vehicle hit a bridge guardrail west of Route 40 on 2000 North Avenue. Deputies reported that Mrotek died from his injuries from the crash. The Illinois National Guard reported Mrotek joined the Illinois Army National Guard’s 2 nd Squadron, 106 th Cavalry Regiment based in Kewanee in May 2023 and deployed to Djibouti, Africa from September 2024 to September 2025. “He was a dedicated and patriotic man who, at the tender age of 21,had already deployed overseas in support of U.S. military counter-terrorism operations,” said Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, the Assistant Adjutant General – Army of the Illinois National Guard and the Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard. “He epitomized what it means to be a National Guard Soldier, answering the call in our nation’s defense while also being part of the community in which he served.” During his service, Mrotek was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.  The Algonquin Argonauts, a youth football and cheer program, posted on Facebook a tribute to Mrotek.