Orland Park Family Honors Late Son With Charity Christmas Tree Sale

ORLAND PARK, IL — The parents of a lifelong Orland Park native who died unexpectedly before reaching his 21st birthday are honoring his memory with a unique fundraiser for a foundation tied to his cause of death.

Brian Peck, 20, was a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019 when he complained of a toothache — what he thought was an abscessed tooth. He was studying for exams, and put off a visit to urgent care to obtain an antibiotic. He called his doctor for guidance, but just hours later, he died of sudden cardiac arrest, sitting in a chair in his bedroom. Brian's passing by sudden cardiac death of unknown cause — shook his tight-knit family to its core.

"It’s incomprehensible," said his mother, Karen Peck. "He was brilliant, he was kind. ... Our son was perfect. Brian lit up the room in a very humble way."

In the years since his death, the Peck family has found comfort in connecting with the SADS Foundation, an organization dedicated to educating and sharing stories of SADS.

The Pecks have shared Brian's story in hopes of inspiring greater education and awareness of their son's lesser-known cause of death.

This year, they've joined a charity effort called Brittany's Trees, a Chicagoland effort that delivers fresh Christmas trees to supporters, with funds going toward the SADS Foundation. In its 18th year, the fundraiser is in honor of an 8-year-old Carol Stream girl who died of a heart condition categorized as SADS in 2005.

For a $60 donation, supporters will receive a 5-foot Scotch Pine or Colorado Blue Spruce Tree, with three sets of white lights. The Peck family will pick up the trees from Carol Stream, and deliver to families in Orland Park. People from surrounding towns can also purchase a tree, but will need to pick up. The organization orders 2,100 trees each year, and typically sell out by Halloween.

While inspired by her underlying grief of losing her son, Karen Peck is excited to shine a light on this unique fundraiser in her family's hometown.

"I've always been taught to give back," Peck said. "It’s always been something that my parents have instilled in me—if you can make a pot of soup, or lend a warm ear, you do it. We grew up that way.

"The SADS Foundation was there to guide us and support us through our darkest days. Their mission is to save the lives and support the families of children and adults who are genetically predisposed to sudden death, due to heart rhythm abnormalities. And so we are thrilled to be able to help this wonderful organization and spread 'Brian’s white light throughout Orland Park' by joining forces with Brittany’s Trees."

'One Day At A Time'

Brian lived his entire life in Orland Park, having attended Cardinal Joseph Bernardin grade school, Providence High School and finally University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was an accomplished student, on the honor list while studying biomedical engineering and computer science. Shortly before his death, he landed an internship as a biomedical engineer at Medtronic in the cardiac rhythm and heart failure division. He aimed to find a career that would "improve the quality of life for others."

His academic pursuits were complemented by a passion for music from a very young age, starting with his trumpet lessons at Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and then going on to being “first chair” at Providence High School, Peck said. Brian taught himself how to play the piano and guitar, and some of his family's favorite memories are of him playing “Just Breathe,” which became their family motto moving forward.

Brian's death alerted his parents to the possibility that the condition could be genetic, and their other son — Brian's younger brother Colin — could be in danger.

It has changed their lives in a way many families might not be able to comprehend. Like his brother, Colin sought to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison. With apprehension, his parents agreed to it, but with some precautions.

"We wanted him to have a normal life," Peck said. "We didn’t want to tell him no."

Peck rents an apartment there to be close to her son, should an emergency arise. He and his mother stay in consistent contact.

"I will stay here until he graduates, because he’s all we have left," Peck said. "We live one day at a time."

Colin's apartment is equipped with a defibrillator. The family has also donated a defibrillator in Brian's name, housed in one of the lecture halls. His brother's death shook him deeply, Peck said.

"He worries about his own mortality," Peck said. "He worries about everybody’s mortality.

"The depths of my son’s grief, I can only imagine and witness in small bits. He tries to protect me from it, but he’s hurting."

The Peck family continues to seek out opportunities to share Brian's story and educate others. They work with the SADS Foundation, featuring Brian's story as a fundraising focus. The camaraderie of the group has helped eased their grief and worry slightly.

"They took the sting out of what had happened, because we had a hard time even grieving for our son, worrying about the fact that our other son could pass away," Peck said.

"Those are my people, because they get it. They understand how horrific it is. We don’t want anyone to go through what we did, that’s why we do what we do, and it’s what keeps us moving forward."

Anyone interested in learning more about SADS can find extensive information on the SADS Foundation website. Those interested in making a $60 donation and receiving a tree should visit the Brittany's Trees website. Sales are now open, and trees are expected to go fast, Peck said. With the cooperation of weather and volunteers, trees will be delivered and set-up with lights strung in front yards on Saturday, November 26.

The money raised goes toward helping educate and support families who have experience with SADS.

"People need to know this happens," Peck said. "It’s real, it’s raw. There’s no timeline to grieving. I’ll never stop missing him."