It has been my sincere honor to the past 12 years to be called Coroner Rob Russell. Today, I address the public for the last time with that title. I do so not with any bitterness in my heart, rather with an atmosphere of incredible thankfulness. This is appropriate since this time of the year has been set aside to remember, relive and claim the great blessings that have graciously been given to us. In particular, I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be called the Kane County Coroner.
My tenure started off tumultuous in the sense that the office was in chaos. We had an indicted former coroner who unfortunately lost not only his life to natural causes but had also lost the confidence of the public. It is my belief that he was not a nefarious person, rather someone whose decision making was hampered by physical ailments that manifested into malfeasance. Nonetheless, trust in the office was fractured, and I needed to fix it.
From day one, my focus was to work with all the partners, colleagues, and influencers in and around the coroner's office. It was to start with the low hanging fruit we had available and get some wins under our belt. An easy, yet worthwhile opportunity presented itself in the form of several created remains that had been sitting on the shelves of the office for years. These were people that had died, been cremated, yet were unclaimed. I was actually amazed at how long these cremains had been in the office without being addressed. One had been there since the 1950's! This was unacceptable. The first thing we did was to utilize the media and publish the names of the deceased to the public in hopes someone would recognize them and claim them. Soon after the media ran the story, seven of the cremains were reunited with their next of kin. Some of the stores that sprouted from this endeavor were truly inspiring and we were able to reunite people to next of kin as far as Australia.
Not all of the efforts in the early days were that simple to fix, but I thought it important to do the easy stuff first. After all, anything worth doing is typically difficult. Soon after taking office, in addition to problems that were already present, another issue would arise that I did not expect: discourse from an individual who did not share my quest for a successful transformation. To make things even more interesting, this individual was from my own political party.
Over the next several months, we experienced many challenges stemming as a result of years of neglect of caretaking of the coroner's office. In addition to the trust issues with our collaborating partners, I had to continually fight the fight for significance and resources while being called a spendthrift. The facility we were in was mold infested, and asbestos and much of the equipment was breaking down. During Thanksgiving of 2013, a freezer stopped working and began to thaw out the remains of a decedent who was severely in a state of advanced decomposition. The only way to control the decomposition rate of bodies found in that condition is to freeze it. Needless to say, the result of a broken freezer did not fare well. Instead of rallying around the coroner's office, the individual mentioned above started the blame game with all the blame being allocated in my direction. This approach continued for the better part of the eight-year tenure of this individual, but the public saw right through the false criticism. In the end the office was built into the respected institution we have today.
Throughout my tenure, I was able to redirect the failing agency known as the Kane County Coroner's Office from laughingstock to preferred stock. Accreditation was a major reason for that change. The process of Accreditation subjected the office to voluntary scrutiny of the operations, methods, and procedures of the office to experts in the Medicolegal Death Industry, a daunting but worthwhile effort that paid huge benefits.
In addition to achieving Accreditation, the office successfully navigated Kane County through a horrible mass shooting in Aurora and a worldwide pandemic, while also handling the most ever death investigations in Kane County History. The start of my administration also coincided with the proliferate increase in Opioid use and the deaths resulting from that. We are just now starting to see a reduction in Opioid deaths; however, it is still a major issue that will need continual attention and thwarting efforts. This last summer, my office was able to distribute nearly 2000 boxes of Narcan to the community, being present at over 60 festivals and events. We have also partnered with the Kenneth Young Center to place seven Narcan vending machines around Kane County. As a result, we already have documented savings of lives from those efforts in our community and beyond.
I would be completely remiss by not mentioning the wonderful, great staff of the Kane County Coroner's Office. These people are some of the most incredible people I have ever met. I would not have been able to create the change necessary to do all the great things without their buy-in and selfless actions. From Chief Deputy Loren Carrera to all the staff beyond, thank you! Your success has been the fulcrum of why we have accomplished so much. May God continue to bless all of you and your families.
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow stated, "Great is the art of beginning but greater is the art of ending". In that spirit it is my sincere wish to end my tenure greatly. How can I do that? By ensuring that the next coroner walks in on day one with all the tools and benefits that I did not have. The last 12 years must be a starting point for her. Dr. Silva is a capable, wonderful person who can continue to build this office beyond what has already been established. Bitterness, hate and narcissism have not place in public office. Unfortunately, it does exist. I have made a conscious effort to make sure those traits occupy no space in me. Although it may be human nature, and I am human, there are things much more important than my feelings or ego. To stay away from those thoughts, all I need to do is think of the families I have been so blessed to serve and what they are going through. Similarly, I can also think about those who will be impacted by death in 2025 and beyond. Although we have no control on who or why it will happen. I must make sure that the next coroner has all available means to serve those hurting families on day one. There is no time to feel sorry for myself or cultivate any spirit of discourse.
Again, it has been my great pleasure to serve the citizens of Kane County as Coroner. I do not know what the future holds, but I can honestly say that I have left this agency in a much better place than I was given. From an old laundry facility to a new state of the art forensic center. From an incredibly broken office to a highly twice accredited agency. From misdiagnosed death rulings to identification of a 160-year-old skull found in 1978. We are top tier and I have no doubt that we will stay there. Godspeed to all and again, thank you Kane County for the distinct privilege I have had the last 12 years.
Sincerely,
Coroner Rod Russell
(12/1/2012 - 12/1/2024)
