Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families Business
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat Democrat
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens Government
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured Fire
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday Features
  • two-story apartment building on the 15200 block of El Camino Terrace in Orland Park
    Orland Park apartment fire Saturday morning, no injuries Fire
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings calls for bipartisan action to protect Illinois families from SNAP benefit shutdown Baby Boomers
  • Illinios Industrial Energy Consumers, information ad
    Get information on the Illinois Energy Omnibus Bill in Springfield Business
  • State Senator Mike Porfirio secured over $20 million to support infrastructure improvements and construction in the 11th Senate District.
    Senator Porfirio applauds more than $20 million in infrastructure repairs coming to the 11th District News
  • Dad and daughter reunited Lebving Law firm photo
    Little Girl Recovered and Reunited with Dad After Long Separation Dads' Rights
  • 11-03-25 OFPD Coffee living alone
    Orland Fire hosts meeting on helping Seniors who live alone Nov. 5 Baby Boomers
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings secures $250,000 grant for Easterseals Academy’s Tinley Park campus Health
  • Chicago ranks as 161st worst city for crime in new national survey Chicago
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Kat Abughazaleh raises over $520,000 in Q2 of 2025 with more than $630,000 cash on hand for 2026 Democratic primary election elections
  • Silent Threat: The True Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries — How to Stay Safe and Respond to a Battery Fire Fire
Congressman Sean Casten, Audrey, Gwen, and wife Sara. Photo courtesy of Casten's website. Photo courtesy of Casten's website

Casten family thanks public for condolences over daughter’s untimely death

Posted on October 7, 2022April 27, 2025 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Casten family thanks public for condolences over daughter’s untimely death
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Casten family thanks public for condolences over daughter’s untimely death

The Casten family has released the following statement on Friday Oct. 7, 2022:

“This past June (13, 2022), our daughter, Gwen Casten, died of a sudden cardiac arrythmia. In layman’s terms, she was fine, and then her heart stopped.

“We don’t know what caused the arrhythmia, and likely never will.

“Gwen was a healthy 2022 teenager. She ate well, exercised, got regular check-ups, didn’t suffer from any behavioral health issues, and had close relationships with family and friends. She was fully vaccinated and quarantined after occasional positive, asymptomatic COVID tests during the omicron wave. She had just come home from an evening with friends, went to bed and didn’t wake up.  

Congressman Sean Casten with his wife and two children courtesy of Casten's website
Congressman Sean Casten, with daughters Audrey and Gwen, and wife Sara. Photo courtesy of Casten’s website.

 

“We are heartbroken, but we are not unique. Sudden, unexplained heart-failure among young, healthy people is rare but real. We are left grasping at the wrong end of random chance.

 

“We are grateful for the outpouring of love we’ve received over these past months. We’ve cried again over each of your letters, messages, meals, and flowers, but they are appreciated. We are also grateful for the donations to the Downers Grove North Friends of Fine Arts and March for Our Lives, causes that Gwen was actively engaged in during high school. It is a comfort to know how many lives Gwen touched over her 17 years.

“She had a big, beautiful, kind, loving heart. And it stopped, as all must. 

“None of us know when our last heartbeat will come. The best we can hope for is that when our loved ones do pass, we will have no regrets about the time we were lucky enough to share. 

“So hug the folks you love a little harder today. Be present in their lives. And spread your love a little farther. Because in the end, it’s all that remains.”

The Casten family will be issuing no further statements, and Rep. Casten will not be available for interviews on the topic. The family requests continued privacy at this time.

Most members of the public expressed sorrow for the tragedy and only a handful of Republican extremists used Casten’s daughter’s death to score points on political issues, such as when Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison Tweeted this ugly and vicious comment on July 4, 2022:

Responding to Casten, who criticized the NRA in the wake of the Highland Park shootings, Morrison used Casten’s family tragedy to defend the NRA, writing disrespectfully, “Congressman, that’s just classless partisan dribble shame on you . Kindly show the same level of respect to today’s victims families tragically gunned down a few short hours ago. The same empathy shown at the time of your own families recent tragedy. Say a prayer and try to do better.”

Casten, who was mourning his daughter’s passing at the time, responded, “I say this with all the respect you deserve. STFU. People are dead because we have too many guns and too little regulation. You and I have jobs where we can fix that. If that sounds like ‘partisan dribble’ to you, maybe you ain’t cut out for this line of work.”

More accurate words were never spoken.

Morrison, who is plagued by a range of controversies as a county commissioner, and as a failed GOP Chairman, is being challenged by former Orland Park Trustee and attorney Dan Calandriello in the November 8, 2022 General election. Calandriello seeks to unseat Morrison from the county board.

Casten is being challenged in the congressional race by rightwing extremist, Keith Pekau, who is one of Morrison’s chief political sponsors and whose own political style has been characterized by vicious and constant name-calling.

Most responsible members of the public and  elected officials and candidates have expressed condolences to the Casten family on the tragic passing of Gwen Casten.

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families - October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat - October 29, 2025
  • Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens - October 29, 2025
NPV: 82
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Cook County, elections, Government, Health, National, News, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:arrythmia, Congressman, Democrat, election, Gwen Casten, Illinois, Keith Pekau, Republican extremists, Sean Casten, Sean Morrison, sudden death, th District

Post navigation

Previous Post: Live theater in suburbs offers alternatives to Chicago’s risky visits
Next Post: Senator Hastings urges Illinoisans to work together to end stigma around mental health

Related Posts

  • Summit TIF hearing heats up News
  • Jeffery M. Leving book Divorce Wars
    Dad rescues daughter from mother’s violent boyfriend Chicago
  • Seal of DuPage County
    Lombard Woman Sentenced to 26 Years for Strangling Mother to Death breaking news
  • New cabinet store in Lyons Government
  • Amos Alonzo Stagg High School Palos Heights. Courtesy of Stagg High school
    District 230 Congratulates National Merit Semi Finalists and Commended Cook County
  • Virus delays Summit News

More Related Articles

Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoes legislation that would force suburban taxpayers to pay for waste and corruption at the Chicago Public Schools. The bill would take the majority of school funding from the suburbs and earmark it to bailout Chicago Public Schools, which are in debt to the amount of more than $17 billion. Photo courtesy of Governor Rauner Rauner puts focus back on residents, not criminals Blogger
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker joins governors from Missouri and Indiana to help Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner bash the people of Illinois and the state. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Rauner’s bash-and-burn TV Ads slander Illinois Blogger
Drive-thru food pantry News
Waiting is over for Daly News
The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) responded to a 911 Fire Emergency call at around 11:30 PM on Sunday (Oct. 4, 2020) at a residential home located at 15540 117th Ave, in Orland Park. No injuries in Fire that destroyed Orland Park home Cook County
Actor Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Goodman Theater Production of A Christmas Carol. Courtesy of the Goodman Theater Goodman Theatre suspends A Christmas Carol performance through Dec. 24 Chicago

Comment (1) on “Casten family thanks public for condolences over daughter’s untimely death”

  1. Pingback: Casten family thanks public for condolences over daughter's untimely death - Will Cook News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch
    October 17, 2025
  • Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio Show small
    The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again
    October 11, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families
    October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat
    October 29, 2025
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    October 29, 2025
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured
    October 28, 2025
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday
    October 26, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme