Kevin Carr D’Agostino, 33, of Elmhurst, passed away on Monday morning, with his family by his side. Beloved son of Mario and Mary Carr D’Agostino; loving brother and best friend of Michael, twin brother of Elizabeth (Ryan Hogan), adoring brother of Carly (Ryan Letzeiser), Natalie and his dear late sister Julie.
Like Michael Jordan, Kevin was a guy that “never lost a game…just ran out of time”. As a family, we are saddened that the buzzer went off way too soon. Kevin was born with Cystic Fibrosis, but didn’t live with Cystic Fibrosis. He lived with boundless amounts of strength, optimism, courage, energy, love, loyalty and determination. While others could say he was dealt a “bad hand”, Kevin was in it to win it. A “bad hand” was merely another challenge to him! If you met him, you never forgot him. He left you feeling better about yourself, you were inevitably “The Best”!
As a pediatric ICU nurse in Chicago or a traveling nurse in Austin, Texas or as a volunteer nurse on a medical mission trip to Iraq, Macedonia and Croatia, Kevin packed so much into his life. These opportunities and adventures were all made possible by his determination and dedication to physical exercise; it was what he lived by to keep himself healthy. While honored to care for and help patients at the bedside, Kevin wanted to do more in the medical field and in 2015 was proud to be accepted into Rush University esteemed CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) program, but that dream was cut short by a life altering brain injury in 2016.
Despite the overwhelming obstacles that Kevin came to know, including a double lung transplant, he kept himself busy, surrounded by family and friends, with lunches and dinners at his favorite restaurant Benihana’s and other eateries in Chicago and the suburbs. Thank you to all those who helped him stay occupied and engaged with their endless visits, love, encouragement, Backgammon, card games and stories that always ended with Kevin’s favorite exclamation of “NO WAY”!
Kevin fought the good fight, and now we all know he is in heaven catching up with his dear sister Julie.
Funeral arrangements are private and a celebration of life will be planned for a future time. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Julie D. Foundation (www.thejuliedfoundation.org). Arrangements handed by Gibbons Funeral Home, Elmhurst. 630-832-0018 or www.gibbonsfuneralhome.com
