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Special recognition honoring Helen Hammond Redding and Michael Redding Sr. for their work establishing and leading the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects millions of youths across the United States, disproportionately impacting communities of color and underserved neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Christopher D. Redding was an exceptional young man who distinguished himself at Lake Zurich High School as an outstanding athlete, scholar, and peer leader while exemplifying the ideals of character, leadership, and perseverance through every aspect of his life; and
WHEREAS, despite living with asthma, Christopher excelled as a wrestler, discus thrower, and as a running back and captain on the football team, leading Lake Zurich High School to the IHSA Class 7A semi-finals, while becoming the school’s second-highest rusher and scorer in history, despite playing only two years on the varsity team; and
WHEREAS, Christopher was a member of the National Honor Society, elected Homecoming King in his senior year, helped his peers through mediation and mentoring programs, and is remembered by coaches, classmates, and teachers as a student of strong moral character, quiet leadership, and unwavering integrity; and
WHEREAS, after graduating high school in 2003, Christopher was home for Thanksgiving break during his freshman year while attending Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, when he suffered a fatal asthma attack at only 18 years old while jogging; and
WHEREAS, Helen Hammond Redding and Michael Redding, Sr. founded the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation in loving memory of their son in 2013, with the mission of preventing similar tragedies through education, advocacy, and direct support for youth suffering from asthma; and
WHEREAS, the Foundation has since worked tirelessly in the Chicagoland area, particularly within underserved communities where asthma rates are high and access to care is limited, to provide asthma screenings, education, access to asthma control devices, and scholarships for student-athletes with asthma; and
WHEREAS, Helen Hammond Redding, the Foundation’s founding Board President, has been the driving force behind the organization’s mission and a tireless advocate for youth health equity to ensure that no student athlete in the region dies needlessly from asthma-related complications; and
WHEREAS, the Foundation’s mission, to educate, advocate, and provide services for youth suffering from asthma, especially those involved in athletics, is rooted in a vision of a more equitable and safer environment for all youth to thrive in sports and beyond, regardless of chronic health conditions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that Helen Hammond Redding, Michael Redding, Sr., and the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation, highlighted by Board Member Sara Knizhnik, be commended for their valuable contributions to public health, youth advocacy, and community empowerment. The Foundation is a tribute to Christopher’s memory and a call to action for continued awareness, education, and support for youth living with asthma.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on August 12, 2025.