On Saturday, Nov. 7th, CLC held a tree-planting ceremony to honor late horticulture student Abel Rosiles Jr at the CLC Grayslake Campus. 

Abel passed on June 18th, 2020. The event took place in celebration of what would’ve been his 22nd  birthday on Nov. 3rd. 

The tree was a symbol to honor his passion for academics, horticulture, and life.

Abel, a middle child of three, worked full time at Mariani Landscape and took night classes to work toward his associates. 

The Rosiles family has had close ties to CLC that transcended generations. His parents always placed great importance on education. His mother is a former student, and his sisters are currently employed at the college. He chose to attend CLC because of its flexibility with his work schedule and affordable costs. 

Fabiola Rosiles, student services specialist for the TRIO ETS program at CLC, had many kind words to say about her brother. 

“Abel loved life, he loved nature, he loved making others feel included and loved,” says Fabiola. 

Close family and friends were in attendance to celebrate his love of nature and life. 

“Abel was able to tell leaves apart, tell trees apart, tell bodies of water apart,” says Fabiola. 

People came from all over the community to share their stories about Abel and the impact he had on their lives. Many said Abel served as a mentor to them and helped them out during tough times. The response from people in Abel’s life was overwhelmingly positive. 

“Abel loved other people,” said Fabiola. “He helped others because he genuinely cared about them and their well-being. We didn’t know how much he impacted other people until they told us. He did some great actions but didn’t showcase his good deeds.”

People told the Rosiles how Abel would defend them from bullies and give rides to school to those who needed them. 

“It’s been very eye-opening,” says Fabiola. “He never told us he would stand up for other people being bullied.

Regardless of what happened in the world, Abel stayed true to himself and others. He stayed strong like a tree, who remained strong regardless of what happens. 

“The roots will continue to spread, and the tree will continue to grow, and it will be in honor of Abel,” says Fabiola. 

During the ceremony, attendees were able to shovel a bit of dirt into the plot that the tree was planted in. Abel’s grandpa sang a song about continuing love after someone passes. The experience was very emotional and meaningful to the Rosiles family. 

To keep his legacy alive, Fabiola and her family now spend every day trying new ways to embrace their inner Abel and keep him alive in spirit. 

“When we say ‘embracing our inner Abel,’ it means [we are] doing more positive actions rather than talking about them,” says Fabiola. “It means [doing things] not to be noticed, but to make the world a better place.”

Fabiola says she and her family are very thankful for collaborating with CLC and Mariani to honor his love of education, learning, and nature. 

“Abel was always mindful of the environment; he would’ve appreciated the collaboration with our family, CLC’s horticulture department, and Mariani,” says Fabiola.