Updated May 20, 2010, 10:15 p.m.
Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– A 20-year-old Park Forest man died Thursday afternoon after suffering a gunshot wound to his head Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, May 12, at approximately 10:17 p.m., the Park Forest Police Department responded to several 911 calls reporting “shots fired” in the are of McGarrity and Hemlock Streets. Upon arrival, police found Adam Martinez, 20, of 6 Illinois Court inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head. The subject was taken to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields by paramedics and later transferred to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, police said.
At 3:24 p.m. on Thursday, the subject succumbed to his injuries, according to police.
Park Forest investigators and members of the South Suburban Major Crime Task Force responded and the investigation continues.
Those who knew Adam remember him fondly.
Alan Edrinn said he enjoyed hanging out with Mr. Martinez, “Adam was always a very funny guy. He was never one to outwardly try and make people laugh, but he had a very subtle humor that made him worth hanging around. Adam always seemed like a happy guy. He acted tough, but never seemed like the kind of person to do something too crazy.”
Resident Jo Anne Letourneau said Adam spent a lot of time with her family, “I loved that kid! He grew up in Illinois Court right down the street from my family home. He was best friends with my nephew, Dominic while growing up. He was a fixture in our house. Took him on vacation with our family. Hard worker!”
Dominic Dandino remembered a friend, “Adam is my longest standing friend. I’ve known him since I was five years old. His family had a big part in raising me. Adam was the kind of guy who dealt with a lot of bullshit that was outside of his control, ADD, ADHD, turrets syndrome. He really didn’t let it get him down.”
Bill Brazzale remembers Adam the Cub Scout, “Adam was my neighbor, one of my Cub Scouts, Kid Wrestler I had the pleasure to coach, and a Rich East Wrestler that always made it exciting.”
“As I understand it his boss at Chicago Dough is torn-up over Adam’s loss,” Brazzale says. “He was a character that was noted to always have a smile. I heard numerous stories about how Adam helped many people for the satisfaction of helping.
Adam is missed.”
“The loss to society,” Brazzale concludes. “What a waste.”
“The older he got, the more friends he made, and he was a very funny and fun to be around type of guy,” Dandino continued. “I gave him a lot of shit growing up but he never stopped being my friend. We went to separate high schools and stopped seeing each other all the time. We had some of the same friends, but didn’t really run in the same circle. I went to college and we saw each other even less.
“As sad as I am about having lost him, I don’t have any trouble thinking happy thoughts about him. He spent most of his time making other people laugh and creating wonderful memories for us to remember him by.”
Dominic says he remembers the first thing Adam said to him years ago, “When I first met him at our bus stop, we introduced ourselves to one another and he asked me, ‘You wanna be friends?’ And I, of course, said yes.”
“I wish things were still as simple as that,” Dominic said.
