Northbrook Community Mourns Loss Of GBN Student

NORTHBROOK, IL — The community is reeling following news of the death of a local student. In emails to parents from Glenbrook North High School and Northbrook/Glenview School District 30, school officials said Dylan Buckner, 18, of Northbrook, died Thursday. He was the capitan and quarterback of the Glenbrook North High School varsity football team and someone "teachers wanted to clone."

"It was a great pleasure knowing Dylan. It was a great pleasure to have gone into battle with him, to have gotten to languish in the hot summer sun with him," Will Erens, a classmate and fellow football player at GBN, told Patch. "But he was more than a teammate. He was simple, but he was strong. He was a great leader. I lost a friend, a teammate, but the world lost a great man."

Buckner's funeral will be held virtually at 4 p.m. Monday via Zoom. To attend the funeral live stream, visit www.cjfinfo.com and click on Dylan's name. His obituary can be found here.

Buckner died at 3:04 p.m. Thursday at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago North Shore Deerfield, 1445 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

"Yesterday, we lost an amazing leader, friend, dedicated student, and athlete. Dylan will be remembered for his tremendous work ethic and kind heart," GBN football coach Matt Purdy said. "He was respected and loved by so many, and his lasting impact is felt and noted through hundreds of emails, texts, and notes we are receiving from our school community and far beyond."

GBN Principal Jason Markey sent out an email to parents Thursday night with the tragic news.

"This is a profound loss for our entire school community and our hearts go out to all of Dylan’s family and friends," Markey said. "These are the times when we need to reach out, check in, and ensure that we are caring for one another."

Prior to attending GBN, Buckner was a graduate of Maple School in Northbrook.

"Dylan was an amazing kid," said Maple School Principal Sam Kurtz, in an email also sent out Thursday night by District 30 Superintendent Brian Wegley. "He was a leader, a great student, a star athlete, and a loved member of District 30. He will be remembered for great things and missed by all."

At GBN, Markey said counselors are available throughout the day Friday and any time in the future to assist any student who is in need of support "during this challenging time." Information on how to access those counselors will be shared directly with students Friday morning.

"If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of grief, please reach out to a trusted adult and/or school staff member," Markey said.

Markey is telling students not to hesitate using Text-a-Tip for any reason if they or a friend need immediate support. Text-a-Tip is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Text GBN Help to 847-823-5323.

"Our thoughts are with Dylan’s family; and we offer our deepest condolences to them, and the classmates, teachers and staff who have been impacted," Markey said.

According to Wegley, at Maple and in District 30, students can reach out to any administrative team member to let them know if they can provide additional help "during this difficult time."

• Brian Wegley’s Email: bwegley@district30.org |
• Sam Kurtz’s Email: skurtz@district30.org
• Betty Holzkopf’s Email: bholzkopf@district30.org
  
• Chris Brown’s Email: cbrown@district30.org
• Scott Carlson’s Email: scarlson@district30.org
• Lauren Schulman’s Email: lschulman@district30.org

"Support from our counseling team will be available for each District 30 school beginning on Friday," Wegley said. "Also, middle school students have access to Text-a-Tip support 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

To use this service, students text "MAPLE" to the number 1-844-823-5323.

"As an athlete, Dylan was a decorated football player who will be remembered as one of the best quarterbacks in school history," Purdy said. "Dylan was the definition of leadership, he was a great teammate who was respected by opponents and coaches throughout the state.

"The news of his passing leaves a hole in my heart, just knowing that he will not be around us anymore. He always did right by others and cared deeply for his teammates and classmates. To best honor Dylan, I am asking everyone to love and appreciate each other. Parents, go and hug your kids, and kids tell your parents you love them. These are the toughest of times right now for everyone, and the best thing we can do is support each other and let people in our lives know how much they are valued and loved. That’s what Dylan would do."

To see Buckner's obit and find out more information about his funeral Monday, go here.