HR1213 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1213 LRB100 23403 MST 42428 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Dan Bigg, who passed away on August 21, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Dan Bigg grew up in Winnetka and lived most of his life in Chicago; in the mid-1980s, he worked as a substance abuse treatment worker and took note of the high rate of HIV infection among people who shared syringes to inject drugs; and

WHEREAS, Dan Bigg co-founded the Chicago Recovery Alliance in 1992 to help stem the increase in HIV/AIDS cases in Chicago and across the world from the use of dirty needles; a decade later, as heroin-related deaths surged, he pioneered the idea of putting the overdose-reversing medication naloxone into the hands of drug users and their loved ones; as a result of his efforts, thousands of lives have been saved; and

WHEREAS, Dan Bigg was honored in recent years by the International Drug Policy Reform Conference for his work and by Chicago Magazine, which named him Chicagoan of the year; he was passionate about the physical and mental health of people who were often overlooked; and

WHEREAS, Dan Bigg is survived by his wife, Karen Stanczykiewicz-Bigg; his daughters, Sophia and Alexandria; and his son, Zachary; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dan Bigg, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dan Bigg as an expression of our deepest sympathy.