Dan Capuano Ice Rink Dedication Set for Feb. 20 in Evergreen Park

The Village of Evergreen Park is set to rename the ice rink at Yukich Field after firefighter Dan Capuano, who died in the line of duty in December.

Village officials will formally dedicate the ice rink during a ceremony starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, which will be known as Daniel V. Capuano Ice Rink.

Capuano was a 15-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, and had worked the past 16 years as a part-time firefighter and paramedic for the Evergreen Park Fire Department.

He died in the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2015, when he fell through a second-story elevator shaft while fighting a smoky warehouse fire on the South Side. The building owner has been accused doing illegal construction work without acquiring the proper permits. Capuano’s widow, Julie, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the building owner.

Capuano also left three children, 16-year-old daughter, Amanda, 16, and sons Nick and Andrew, 12 and 13. Although he lived in Mt. Greenwood, Capuano had strong ties to the Evergreen Park community. His sons attended Queen of Martyrs School and he was an active in the Queen of Martyrs Parish.

The 42-year-old Mt. Greenwood firefighter was a coach for his sons’ hockey league the St. Jude Knights. He was remembered as a good family and .

In the days following his death, Evergreen Park Fire Chief Ronald Kleinhaus called Capuano a role model for younger firefighters.

“He went the extra mile,” Kleinhaus said. “If you asked him for something he’d be on the way before you hung up the phone.”

Yukich Field is located at 8900 S. Kedzie (89th Street and Kedzie Avenue), Evergreen Park.

Following the dedication ceremony, refreshments will be served and the ice rink will be available for family skating.