CHICAGO – Father of three renowned athletes from Kenwood, Kevin Thunderbird, was killed in the Hyde Park incident.
The brothers Thunderbird are mourning the loss of their father just two weeks after celebrating a baseball city title.
Kevin Laron Thunderbird, 36, was shot and killed Monday night in Hyde Park on the South Side. He was the father of the three outstanding athletes from Kenwood: Kevin Jr., K’Vion, and Kevari.
Around 11:45 p.m., Thunderbird was strolling in the 5100 block of South Dorchester Avenue when a passing car opened fire, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Thunderbird drew a gun, opened fire, and was hit in the stomach, according to the police.
He was transferred to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where, according to police, he passed away from his wounds.
At the site, a weapon was discovered. There were no detentions.
Thunderbird had five boys in total, including two younger sons.
“He was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back,” Kenwood football coach Sinque Turner said. “Everybody loved Thunderbird. In a lot of ways he’s a Chicago icon, just for the things he’s done in the community.”
Thunderbird, who graduated from Simeon in 2005, played football and baseball there. Turner coached his sons at Kenwood after playing with him at Simeon.
“He was a great guy, a great teammate and a great father,” Turner said. “He will be very missed. He was like an uncle to the entire team. They would all go to his house and workout. It’s just so sad.”
K’vion is a football scholarship recipient at Arizona State and also plays baseball. Last year, he was the Public League’s top line-backer.
“Last night I lost my father. I never seen anything like this coming to me or my family. I love you pops and I promise you I’m going to carry our last name and our family won’t ever have to struggle again,” K’Vion Thunderbird tweeted.
Kevin Jr., a first baseman committed to Rust College, also tweeted about his dad: “I’m lost for words. Never would have thought I would lose my father.”
Kevari, a junior committed to Eastern Kentucky, earned the victory in Kenwood’s city title game victory over Payton on May 22 at Guaranteed Rate Field by striking out 12 opponents and allowing only two singles in six innings.
In addition to playing football, Kevari stepped in for the Broncos’ injured quarterbacks during the season as the backup quarterback.
