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Steve Chikerotis, retired district deputy chief of the Chicago Fire Department, saw his son twice on the set of the popular television show he helped create.
Being with his son, David Chikerotis, and working together on "Chicago Fire" was special for the father.
On Wednesday afternoon, sitting in the kitchen at his home in Clearing Ward, the father said that he now knew that every moment spent together was a blessing.
"He was nicknamed" The Beast, "said Steve Chikerotis about David's nickname on the set. "He was the hardest guy you could find. He loved teamwork, working with others to create something. "
David Chikerotis was found severely beaten Saturday morning in a house in the southern suburbs of Evergreen Park by agents who responded to a 911 call given a few minutes earlier by David's older brother.
"All the bones in his face were broken. That's the number of punches and feet he took, "said his father.
From left to right: Jessica Doherty, Jonathan Owens and Stacy Krisik. | Evergreen Park Police
His brother, Luke, had received a call from David's mobile phone that morning. Only the person online was not David. In the background, Luke could hear his brother's voice saying, "Do not come, Luke. It's a trap. "
Even after being hit several times for hours, David was trying to protect his brother, his family said.
Luke immediately called 911, sending officers to the 8700 block of South Francisco at Evergreen Park, and rushed there. Upon his arrival, David was already in the ambulance and three people were in custody.
David was taken to the Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he had emergency surgery. But Monday morning, he died of his injuries.
Jonathan M. Owens, 30 years old; His girlfriend, 26-year-old Stacy Krisik and 26-year-old Jessica Doherty, have both been charged with serious bodily harm, causing serious bodily harm after being beaten by David, officials said. All were denied bail during a Monday hearing at Bridgeview.
Prosecutors have not said if the trio would be charged again after David's death.
According to his father, David was beaten for three to four hours. During this period, the three accused of hurting his son allegedly took breaks to smoke marijuana, before again striking him.
"How can you do that?" Asked his father. "How can you continue to hurt someone for so long? It's unfathomable. "
Police released little details about the attack and the Cook County State Prosecutor's Office did not respond Wednesday to requests for additional information about David's murder.
Steve Chikerotis, who worked for 36 years for the fire department, retired to focus on film. He was first involved in the film industry as an advisor for the "Backdraft" thriller of 1991. In addition to advising "Chicago Fire", Chikerotis is also a producer and acted as an actor in 20 episodes of the series, alongside CFD District Chief Steve Walker.
Steve Chikerotis has also received credits for writing two episodes of the series, whose seventh season began in September, according to Internet Movie Database.
David was working full time during the last season of "Chicago Fire" as a decorator, a job he was extremely proud of, said his mother, Mary Chikerotis. It gave him confidence and was successful – which was important for the 31-year-old.
As a teenager, David had a difficult time and had been heavily addicted as a young man, his family said. Athlete and gifted student, the drug took him the oversized personality that his whole family loved.
The court records show that David was charged with various non-violent crimes during this period. He pleaded guilty to burglary charges in 2008 and again in 2010 for possession of burglary tools.
But all this was in the past, said his family. In December, he celebrated four years of sobriety.
Steve Chikerotis remembered that it was a struggle, smiling, showing all the white hair on his head, but he said it made the family stronger.
Recently, David and his father had exchanged ideas. One day, Steve said he hoped to complete a manuscript based on his son's stories.
Like everything he did, David went into sobriety, head first and beating heart. During the meetings, he spoke to young drug addicts and sponsored them.
Over the last four years, he was doing well: he sold cars at a dealership in Evergreen Park and eventually joined the Motion Picture Studio Mechanics trade union and began working as a pioneer in TV shows, including "Empire" and "The Exorcist".
David had been to Evergreen Park the night before he died for a party, his parents said. The rally was organized by friends of his new girlfriend, who allegedly witnessed the beating he suffered.
They do not know why he was attacked, but they do not believe he has recidivated.
They want to look for the silver lining, they said, seeing the light rather than staying in the dark.
On Wednesday, they were waiting for the arrival of an employee of Gift of Hope, the nonprofit organization of organ and tissue donations.
David loved giving gifts. As a child, he used the money from his piggy bank to buy small gifts for his mother. In adulthood, he always wanted to make sure that the gift that he offered was the best possible for the person.
"He had a big heart," said his mother about his donation of organs. "A last gift."
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