Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago die in fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash
Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago die in fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash
Fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash claims the lives of Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago – Obituary
Two young men, Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago, were tragically killed in a collision involving a semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Tinley Park early Sunday morning. The Illinois State Police reported that the fatal crash occurred around 4:30 a.m. on the westbound lanes of I-80 between La Grange Road and Harlem Avenue.
The victims were traveling in an SUV that collided with a semi-truck. Both Koscinski and Santiago, who had been inseparable friends since meeting in third grade, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their families described the two as lifelong companions who shared a deep bond.
Tyler Koscinski, who had recently turned 20, was remembered by his mother, Kelly, as the light of their lives. “He was a phenomenal brother, athlete, and just a fun-loving kid who brought joy to everyone,” she said. Tyler had a passion for baseball, having played a year at Aurora University as he considered a future career as a PE teacher and coach. “He was figuring things out,” his father Chris Koscinski added. “He just didn’t get the chance to fulfill those dreams.”
Mason Santiago, who attended St. Xavier University and played on the football team, had been with Koscinski when the accident occurred. The two friends were on their way home from St. Xavier when the tragic crash took their lives. “They were best friends,” Kelly Koscinski said tearfully, reflecting on their enduring friendship.
The families shared that Koscinski and Santiago had done everything together since childhood—playing sports, dancing, and simply enjoying life as inseparable friends. “They were like brothers, always laughing and competing,” Kelly Koscinski recalled.
The Santiago family expressed their sorrow and offered condolences to the Koscinskis, emphasizing Mason’s vibrant personality and his love for everyone around him. They expressed a shared pain in losing two young men who meant so much to their families and communities.
Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago die in fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash Fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash claims the lives of Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago – Obituary Two young men, Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago, were tragically killed in a collision involving a semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Tinley Park early Sunday morning. The…
Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago die in fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash Fatal Tinley Park I-80 crash claims the lives of Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago – Obituary Two young men, Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago, were tragically killed in a collision involving a semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Tinley Park early Sunday morning. The…