Friday, May 9, 2025 – Day 269

Friday, May 9, 2025

Good morning, one and all.

The City of Crystal Lake is keeping its promise.

Our small subdivision, of eight townhomes, connects to Huntley Road, a major arterial with no crosswalk and a rise in the pavement that limits visibility. You get less than five seconds to dash across before a car comes flying over the hill. That’s if they’re observing the 35 mph speed limit (cue sarcastic laugh). Realistically, everyone’s going at least 5–10 mph over. Once you commit, it’s a quick scamper to the other side. We haven’t lost any neighbors making that dash—but we’ve lost a number of deer. Those deer crossing signs always seem to be posted in the riskiest spots. Go figure.

Back in February 2023, I wrote to the Public Works Department and asked if they’d consider installing a sidewalk to connect us safely to a nearby intersection. They agreed but said the project would take 3–5 years due to budget constraints. That felt fair enough—we’d been here 18 years without asking for one. So, we would keep playing chicken.

Fast-forward to my ALS diagnosis last August. We followed up in the fall to see if the project timeline could be accelerated. The city said they’d try to squeeze it in before winter, but if not, it would definitely happen in 2025. At the time, I wasn’t in a wheelchair, and with winter approaching, that seemed reasonable.

Well… now I am in a wheelchair, and this sidewalk is no longer a convenience—it’s essential. No, it’s critical. It’s my only chance to safely get out and walk Bear. Cindy reached out to the Mayor’s office in April for an update. The city confirmed the project was still on track and would happen ASAP.

To our surprise, yesterday a Public Works crew showed up with heavy equipment. In just one day, they marked and dug out the full path for the new sidewalk. Concrete might be poured today or early next week. By midweek, our little subdivision should have a brand-new sidewalk—and we can finally eliminate our daily jaywalking routine. Not sure it’ll help the deer, though.

A huge shout-out to Mayor Haig Haleblian for delivering on his promise to prioritize this project when we called last fall, and for shepherding it along this spring. Promise made, promise kept. On behalf of our neighborhood, thank you, Mayor—and thank you to the Public Works team—for your dedication. I can’t wait to roll down that sidewalk next week.

May is ALS Awareness Month. In Washington, D.C., a community summit kicked off on Wednesday and runs through Saturday. As part of the event, 6,000 blue flags have been planted on the National Mall to honor people living with ALS, those who have passed, and those carrying an ALS gene. I check two out of those three boxes.

Nicole happened to be near the Mall and, when she learned about the event, made a point to stop by. She took a few photos. It’s incredibly moving to see 6,000 blue flags lined up, each one representing a single person affected by ALS. I’m not sure where the names come from, but it must be just the tip of the iceberg. There are 5,000 new ALS diagnoses each year in the U.S. alone.

I’m grateful Nicole was there and took the time to visit. It meant a lot to look at the photos she took, for all to see. It’s a very moving message. Now, if they could just hurry up and find a cure—that would be truly impactful.

I’ll leave it there so you can reflect on the photos. Have a great Friday.

Love you guys!❤️