$1M Committed For Scholarships Honoring Late Hinsdale Teen

HINSDALE, IL – A Hinsdale family has committed $1 million to a scholarship in the name of their son, who was killed in 2023 when he was struck by a car while walking on a local sidewalk.

Brian and Kristine Richards, whose son was 14-year-old Sean Patrick Richards, are donating the money through their foundation for the Love Like Sean Scholarship.

A story on the University of Illinois' website described Sean Richards and detailed the scholarship. Starting next fall, the scholarship is expected to support four sophomores at the university's Gies College of Business, where Brian Richards graduated in 1989. Awards will be renewable through graduation.

"We want to reward students who are kind and know to do the right thing," Kristine Richards told the university. "Maybe the scholarship money means they don't need to work during the semester or they can accept a more personally rewarding job instead of the one that pays the most money. I hope that just receiving this scholarship and knowing what it's about will encourage Gies students to keep doing great work."

The Love Like Sean Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading joy and encouraging acts of kindness – "just as Sean did in his short, but impactful life," the university story said.