By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Alex Walker and Trevor Schefsky grew up together and were best friends. Walker lost his friend in 2017 from a rare genetic disease, but he continues to honor that friendship with the Guardian Angels Fund which was established in November of 2021

He has organized the Dueling Piano Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Geneseo Community Center, 541 East North St . Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the pianos beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets, at $40 each or $350 for a table of 10 people, are available to purchase at www.guaradianangelfund48.com. Tickets also will be available at the door on Oct. 7.

Those planning to attend are asked to bring their own snacks and beverages.

Proceeds from the event will support the Guardian Angels Fund. Money in the Fund is donated to the Geneseo School District to be administered to individual schools as needed.

Donations also may be left, or mailed to Central Bank, 101 North State St., Geneseo, IL 61254, specifically marked for the Guardian Angels Fund. Checks should be made payable to the Guardian Angels Fund. Donations also can be made through the website beginning Sept. 29.

Walker, a 2019 graduate of Geneseo High School, is the son of Heather DeBrock and Shaun Walker. His mother shared that she has been informed that money previously raised from the Guardian Angels Fund has been used for book fair books, boots, snow boots, mittens, snow pants, Valentine’s, shoes, lunch money, glasses, a car fixed, and gift cards.

Alex Walker said, “The Guardian Angels Fund was established to live out a dream of mine and Trevor’s to help others. We grew up together and were best friends.”

They were in Confirmation classes together at First Lutheran Church in Geneseo and attended numerous youth gatherings.

One of those gatherings was in Detroit, Mich., when they were eighth graders.

“Our service was cleaning up the streets to make it safe for the children to play,” Walker said. “We cleaned up broken glass off the roads and I remember parents thanking us because we made it a safer area for their children to play.”

“It was really touching to us of how we made a difference,” Walker said. “Trevor and I had plans to attend college together to obtain degrees in Law Enforcement. Helping others was what we wanted to do.”

Those plans were not to be for Trevor as he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, DADA 2, and was admitted to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in March of 2017.

During his hospital stay, he went through three different rounds of chemotherapy prior to having three bone marrow transplants. The first two did not take and the third one did take. Complications set in when Trevor was to have his PICC line removed to come home. He passed away on Nov. 29, 2017.

Even though he is gone, memories of him live on in the heart of his friend, Alex…”Trevor and I made promises to each other and being of service to others is one of them. I want to honor and live out this promise. He may not be here physically, but I know he is guiding me with the Guardian Angels Fund, because we always said we had each other’s back forever. He is my guardian angel.”

Walker cited scripture that Schefsky chose for his Confirmation passage from Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Dot not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Trevor’s parents, Tony and Lori Schefsky also continue to keep their son’s memory alive by hosting a blood drive each year on their son’s birthday, May 16.

Alex Walker has been a donor each year at the blood drive even though he has a real fear of needles…” I’d go to the ends of the earth for my bro,” he said.

To purchase tickets people can go to the website www.guardianangelfund48.com

Date: Oct 7th

Doors open at 7 and pianos start at 7

Money raised will go to help support children at local schools.

In continuing to honor his friend’s memory, Walker has organized the First Annual Guardian Angels Fund Black Tie Event from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Geneseo Country Club, 22393 Grange Rd, Geneseo. A social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., with dancing beginning at 7 p.m. “It is a night to honor and continue to follow what Trevor lived for,” Walker said, “Family, friends, and having fun!” Tickets are $30 for each person and are at www.eventbrite.com and search Annual Guardian Angels Fund Black Tie Event or by emailing alexjwalker24@gmail.com to reserve tickets.

All proceeds and donations will benefit the Guardian Angels Fund which was established in November of last year by Walker to live out a dream of the two friends. Supported only by donations, the fund provides contributions to school children in Geneseo School District 228, who are financially unable to participate in classroom celebrations and activities such as their birthday, Valentine's Day, Book Fairs, and any other special occasions during the school year.