Family, friends and educators bid farewell to 7-year-old Park Forest boy struck by school bus

With tears, hugs and laughs, family and friends said goodbye to 7-year-old Connor Ethan Kaczmarski Saturday morning, sharing numerous memories that showed why they will miss the boy.

Connor, a second grader at Mohawk Primary Center in Park Forest, died Jan. 20 after police said he was hit by a school bus that was taking students home from Park Forest-Chicago Heights Elementary District 163.

At least 100 people attended Saturday’s funeral service at Ridge Funeral Home on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Nicole Watkins told the mourners every time Connor was around her, he put a big smile on her face.

“I met Connor when he was 3 years old,” Watkins said. Her daughter, a year younger than Connor, saw him outside and introduced herself.

Connor promptly replied, “I didn’t ask your name,” Watkins said. “From then on, they were best friends.”

“He was the smartest, sweetest, funniest little guy,” Watkins said.

When the children were older, her daughter wanted to know why her mother would not let her have a cellphone, since Connor had one.

Watkins recalled Connor explaining, “Because I’m responsible.”

Kassandra Morgan, Connor’s teacher, said he was responsible, kind and “everyone’s friend.”

“He never let anyone feel left out,” Morgan said, and he spoke up for others when needed.

She said, there are definitely “22 little hearts” in her class who will miss Connor. Her students have talked about him this past week and the ways he made them feel good, Morgan wrote in an online remembrance.

Mohawk Principal Lori Colbert, District 163 Superintendent Caletha White and other school staff attended the funeral service. The school district is flying yellow ribbons around the school in memory of Connor, according to the school website.

Connor was “such a gentleman,” Morgan said at the funeral, through tears. She recalled a “dress down day” at school, when she had skipped straightening her hair like she usually did and felt she was not looking her best. But Connor told her how pretty she looked and that he liked her curly hair.

Watkins agreed Connor was always quick to give compliments, such as when he said to her, “Don’t you look nice.”

In his obituary, Connor’s family wrote he loved animals, especially dogs, and would pretend he owned an adoption center where people could come and adopt his pets. Connor’s stuffed animals were in his casket with him.

Connor’s 16-year-old brother, Christopher Arrington, said he wished he had more time with Connor.

“I just wish I could teach him more. I wish I was with him now,” Christopher said.

Christopher said Connor was so much like him.

“He walked like me, he talked like me,” he said.

“He was just as handsome, if not more handsome than me,” Christopher said, which brought laughs from the people at the funeral.

But Connor was more imaginative and kind with no selfishness in his heart, Christopher said. Whenever Connor had a snack, he wanted to share it with Christopher.

“None of my other brothers do that,” Christopher said.

Christian Arrington, 15, said he and his little brother argued and “messed with each other,” and that Connor, whom he nicknamed “Lil Nugget,” was his enemy, but also his greatest ally and best friend.

“You made me a better big brother and an even better human being,” Christian said.

He asked Connor to help him guide their mother and be strong for her.

“I send all my hugs and kisses up to heaven,” Christian said.

Christopher urged those gathered for the funeral service to make Connor proud and “be the best version of ourselves. … I promise I’ll be the CJ you loved and looked up to.”

Connor is survived by his parents, Frank Kaczmarski and Rockeal Majesty, his three brothers, Christopher, Christian and Charles, his grandparents, Richard and Judith Kaczmarski, his grandmother Prudence Thomas, great-grandparents Harold and Stella Thomas, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Kimberly Fornek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

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