Hello, friends. My name is Nick. I'm 25 and live in Lake County, IL. Recently a great person and my best friend was suddenly and tragically killed. One of the greatest and most original people I have ever known or will ever know. He was nice and giving to everyone who was lucky enough to know him, and still, the same to people he did not know. He had a heart that could ensnare anyone who got too close, and it did. He left all of us behind; A mother, a father, a younger brother, 2 sisters, his neice and nephews, his best friends, and everyone that ever knew him.  It happened so suddenly; No one would ever have expected anything like this to happen. It hit us like a train and no one was prepared. The money that is raised here will go directly to the costs for the funeral. An average funeral in the United States costs about $8,500 so that is our goal. We only have until October 1st to raise whatever money we can. I never knew what it meant before to lay a friend to rest or how important it is to have that closure. Not just for me, but for a sense of communal closure. Knowing that we can lay our loved one to rest is the gift that you would be giving by donating to this fund. It is a deed of true love and compassion that simply cannot be measured; And there is no way to properly thank someone for something like that. Endless gratitude is the only thing that comes to mind. Thank you in advance to those who donate, share, or even take the time to read this post.