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ILLINOIS - An Illinois Army National Guard soldier was killed in a crash Sunday night while returning home from a community relations event in Kewanee, according to the Illinois National Guard.
Illinois soldier dies in crash
The backstory:
Spc. Aiden Mrotek, 21, was returning to his home in Carpentersville after assisting with the Guard's community outreach efforts when the crash occurred.
According to the Illinois National Guard, Mrotek's vehicle struck a bridge guardrail west of Route 40 on 2000 North Avenue near Manlius at about 8:48 p.m. He died at the scene.
Pictured is Spc. Aiden Mrotek, 21, of Carpentersville. (Illinois Army National Guard)
Mrotek joined the Guard's 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, based in Kewanee, in May 2023. Then from Sept. 2024 to Sept. 2025, he deployed to Djibouti, Africa, where he supported U.S. military counterterrorism operations, the Guard said.
During his service, Mrotek received the Army Achievement Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" Device, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
What they're saying:
"He was a dedicated and patriotic man who, at the tender age of 21, had already deployed overseas in support of U.S. military counter-terrorism operations," said Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, the Assistant Adjutant General – Army of the Illinois National Guard and the Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard. "He epitomized what it means to be a National Guard Soldier, answering the call in our nation’s defense while also being part of the community in which he served."
What's next:
Although Mrotek's duties in Kewanee had concluded, he remained on active orders at the time of his death, according to the Illinois National Guard.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the Illinois Army National Guard.