Fifteen years later, family still searching for answers in Vince Wesselmann case
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Prayer vigil and butterfly release set for Saturday in Breese
Aggie Dumstorff holds a flier displaying the disappearance of her brother, Vincent Wesselmann. A remembrance of the upcoming 15th anniversary of Vincent "Vince" Wesselmann's disappearance is set for Saturday, April 18.
There will be a Mass for Wesselmann at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at St. Dominic's Church in Breese. Immediately following Mass, there will be a short prayer vigil and butterfly release.
All are welcome to attend.
"So many people around here knew Vince or know our family, so we would like all of them to join us out there," said Wesselmann's sister, Aggie Dumstorff. "We just wanted to do something to let him know that we are all still praying and looking for him."
Mass usually lasts around 45 minutes, so the prayer vigil and butterfly release will be around 6:15 p.m.
Wesselmann was last seen in April 2011.
"It is unbelievable to me that it has been 15 years," Dumstorff said. "In a way it seems like yesterday, and in a way it seems like forever ago."
Wesselmann was reportedly last seen walking by Breese Grain Company on April 22, 2011. He was reportedly on his way to the post office but never arrived. There was no indication of foul play.
Vince Wesselmann
None of Wesselmann's things — including his house, car and bank account — were touched. Dumstorff said Wesselmann liked walking, but he never crossed the highway or went out of town.
Police conducted a long search and even drained a pond in hopes of locating him.
At the time of his disappearance, Wesselmann was 75 years old, 6 feet tall, and weighed about 210 pounds. He was last seen wearing dark blue pants and a dark blue baseball cap.
The area was under heavy, severe rains at the time of his disappearance.
Wesselmann was last seen by family members on April 21, 2011. Family members who had not heard from Wesselmann notified the police on April 23. A search began later that evening by Breese Police Department, Breese Fire Department, EMS personnel, Clinton County Emergency Service and Disaster Agency, Clinton County Sheriff's Department, family members and friends.
“If you know something, say something.” Aggie Dumstorff
Wesselmann went for a walk on Thursday, April 21, 2011. Some of his clothes had been laid on the bed because it was Holy Thursday and he was going to go to church that night. But his clothes were still there at the end of the day.
On April 22, one of Wesselmann's siblings tried to call him and he didn't answer. At 6 p.m. April 23, Dumstorff and sister Ruth Jansen realized he was missing. They went to the Breese Police Department and within one hour they had a command post set up at the fire station.
Everyone was trying to figure out where Wesselmann was. In church that evening, the priests in both parishes announced that Wesselmann was missing. About 75 people showed up that evening, put glow-in-the-dark vests on, and ground searched everywhere in town. They knocked on doors and looked in people's sheds.
Wine For Wishes brings a nice crowd for a good cause
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
A picture of the crowd at the Wine For Wishes event on Saturday, April 11, at Bretz Wildlife Lodge and Winery in Carlyle. Photo by Matt Wilson A nice crowd of 131 people attended the first Wine For Wishes event hosted by the Metro East Council for Make-A-Wish Foundation on Saturday, April 11 at Bretz Wildlife Lodge and Winery in Carlyle.
The event raised enough money to grant two wishes.
The Metro East Council had previously done a hot chocolate walk in Highland as their fundraiser, but this year decided to do a Wine For Wishes event.
Laurie Lampen and daughter Ali Kampwerth came up with the idea for the Wine for Wishes event.
The Metro East Council of the Make-A-Wish Foundation covers Clinton, Madison and St. Clair counties.
The event went from 2 to 6 p.m. There were wine and beer tastings, live music from RX Blues Band, a silent auction, appetizers and raffles.
Eli Kohrmann speaks during the Wine For Wishes event on Saturday, April 11, at Bretz Wildlife Lodge and Winery in Carlyle. Photo by Matt Wilson Among the silent auction items were four tickets to a major league baseball game, tickets to the Fox Theater, a group wine party for 20 people, and a golf trail that will include rounds of golf at Governor's Run in Carlyle, Oak Brook in Edwardsville and Highland Country Club.
Eli Kohrmann was one of the keynote speakers at the event. Kohrmann, who was a Make-A-Wish recipient, was introduced by Alexis Nolan from the Metro East Council of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"Eli's story is a powerful example of the impact the organization can have," Nolan said.
Nolan worked on the first half of Kohrmann's wish.
Kohrmann is a 19-year-old Germantown resident who coaches eighth-grade boys' basketball at All Saints Academy, helps out with Mater Dei basketball, and is an ambassador for Breese Chamber of Commerce. He attends Kaskaskia College and plans to transfer to McKendree University next fall. He is a realtor with Equity Reality Group.
Kohrmann was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome. The right side of his heart didn't fully develop so it was smaller and weaker than it should have been.
Because of that, he couldn't properly pump blood to his lungs, which caused low oxygen in his body.
He was born in Clayton, Missouri, and was immediately transferred to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, where he spent the first week of his life.
Kohrmann has had two open heart surgeries, one when he was 9 months old and another right before he was 3 years old.
"While I don't remember those moments, my family does and so do all of the people who supported me during that time," Kohrmann said.
While he was growing up, doctors always told Kohrmann that he looked good for a kid with his condition. One expression that always stuck with him was that he was the cover page of a magazine for a kid with his condition.
Kohrmann has been involved with Camp Rhythm for 14 years. The camp, located in Eureka, Missouri, is for kids with heart conditions. He started as a camper and now volunteers his time as a counselor.
"When you are there, you are surrounded by people who understand what you have gone through without even having to explain it," Kohrmann said. "You are not the kid who is just a little different, you are just like everyone else."
The camp is where he started hearing about Make-A-Wish. At first, Kohrmann was nervous about asking his cardiologist about Make-A-Wish because he didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of something. He finally asked his cardiologist and he said "Of course you can."
McKendree wins two National Championships in Cheerleading
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor
Daytona Beach, Florida — The McKendree University cheer program took three teams to the NCA College Nationals from April 8th-11th in Daytona Beach, Florida, with all placing within the top three, as two finished as national champions.
These are the program’s first two national championship titles since competing in the event.
McKendree’s Advanced Large Coed squad for Division II was one of two national champions, as they began day one with a 78.77 to sit at second after prelims for 25% of their final score and ended with an 83.67 day two score, counting for 75% of the final score.
That came out to an 82.44 score to secure the national crown, beating out Montclair State University and Columbus State University.
With the Large Coed winning their division, they got to compete in the Grand Championships against all other division winners for Large Coed, which consisted of Weber State University, Texas Tech University, Westcliff University, and Trinity Valley Community College.
The other national champion contained the Advanced Small Coed group for Division II.
They scored an 85.68 in day one after prelims for 25%, making it the first time ever sitting in first place after day one, as they rounded out day two with an 87.53 output for 75% to score a final of 87.07 to clinch the national title.
The team bested both Davenport University and the University of West Florida.
Like the Advanced Large Coeds, the Small Advanced Coeds also earned a spot in the Grand Championships against the other division winners, which contained Weber State, Texas Tech, Elmira College, and Trinity Valley.
The Bearcats rounded out their time in the Orlando region with their Intermediate Large Coed group in Division II, as they tallied an 82.79 score on day one after prelims for 25%.
They performed an 81.30 on day two for 75% to reach a final score of 81.66 to give them a second-place nod in the division behind only the University of Texas at Tyler, but ranking ahead of Millikin University.
“This was a huge moment for our program for winning not one, but two of our first-ever national championships, as well as competing a third team for the first time in history and placing second in that division,” said McKendree head coach Zach Mittman. “I am beyond proud of our whole team, as all the hard work, adversity, and ups and downs were worth it all in the end. I want to give a huge thank you to all of my assistants– Emilie, Kiana, Blake, Bianca, Derrick, and Angie for all they do because without them, we would not have been able to make history as we did. Another huge shout-out to all of our alumni near and far for all the support they have given us this season, as well as all the athletes’ families and supporters who have been there for our program. This is only the beginning for the program. I am beyond excited for the rise of the program and hoping for continued success for years to come.”
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