The Real Truth Behind Dave Heilmann—from an Inside Source

By ERICA HEILMANN

Oak Lawn mayoral challenger Dr. Sandra Bury and her supporters, Jane Quinlan, Alex Olejniczak, Tom Duhig and Tom Phelan are sending out lies and accusations about the mayor as they try to reveal what they believe is the "truth" about Dave Heilmann.  As his wife, I can tell you the real truth behind the man.

Mayor Heilmann did not lose the village $10 million, that is completely false and official records can prove it. Also, he left his former running mates for a good reason. Eight years ago, Dave thought he selected a group of people that were going to help him make Oak Lawn this awesome place to live and for four years, they worked on just that. It wasn’t until they decided to do something illegal that things changed. Dave warned them and they did it anyway. Dave can't support something that is illegal and now the FBI is still investigating that exact issue. Because Dave spoke up about this issue, his former teammates have turned on him with every issue the village faces, whether it is for the best of the village or not.

I sometimes read Patch and laugh at the comments that people make. They have so much time to comment on local government. (They should come and babysit my four kids while I go to the grocery store). But I laugh when they say that Dave is doing things for power. I ask, "Power to do what?” Is it power to work harder and longer hours?  Power to stay up every night till past midnight to answer emails from residents and work on paperwork? Power to work nights and weekends? Power to sit at more meetings instead of coaching his kid’s baseball team? Power to get whacked by newspapers that only represent one side of the story? 

I can also tell you that he doesn't do it for the small paycheck either.
So people ask me, “Why does he do it?” Well, he does it because he has lived here his whole life and he cares about Oak Lawn.

He wants to bring new restaurants and retail to Oak Lawn so that I don't have to go to Orland Park every time I need a birthday gift. (The 111^th& Cicero project will do all that). He does it so that he can work with the police to keep Oak Lawn safe so our kids can play outside like he did when he was young. He does it so he can help support Advocate Christ Medical Center so it can grow to be the biggest hospital in Illinois, which will bring the best doctors to Oak Lawn. Then, if his mother, family, friends or residents need it, God forbid, this amazing hospital will be in our backyard. He does it because he wants Oak Lawn to be a wonderful place to live.

So, who is the real Dave Heilmann? He is the man who takes his 10-year-old daughter to overnighters at Key Lime Cove Water Park with the Indian Princesses. He is the man who sits with our kindergartener to help him learn to read. He is the man who sings "Daddy's Little Girl" over and over again to his two-year-old. He's the man who the hospital named Community Member of the Year and the kids at the Oak Lawn Park District Theatre Program call him just "Dave" because he is their friend and they don't think of him as anything else. He is the man who goes to church every Sunday to ask for strength to deal with the next political issue. He is the man who did not leave my side during every session of chemotherapy, tests, doctor visits etc. He is the man who is giving back to the community that so gave him so much.

So consider the source. What does Sandra Bury know about the real Dave Heilmann? Nothing. She only tells lies to get elected. The lady who he calls “his bride” can tell you about the real man.