Company Donates $8K In Memory Of Plainfield Teen Killed In Crash

PLAINFIELD, IL — A local garbage-bin cleaning company has collected a hefty amount and donated it to the family of a Plainfield teenager who was killed in a single-vehicle crash earlier this month. Brad Miller, owner of Eco Trash Bin Clean, announced on social media on Aug. 3 that he would donate 50 percent of his earnings in memory of Jaden Sherman.

Within just two weeks, he was able to collect $8,045, and personally delivered the check to the Sherman household on Thursday.

"I knew the amount was going to be big but it definitely exceeded my expectations," Miller said. "The largest fundraiser by far that we have ever done, and we have done around a 100 for pet shelters, school PTAs, booster clubs, food banks etc. so this was definitely the largest."

Seventeen-year-old Jaden died when he lost control of his car and struck two utility poles on Van Dyke Road. He was the only occupant of his vehicle, and was transported to Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora with life-threatening injuries. He was later airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Miller said he has known the Shermans for several years and propelled by his helplessness over this tragedy, he decided to "do something for them."

People had to text their town and the code word "Jaden" to his scheduler, and they received a response with all the information needed to schedule a bin cleaning.

Miller and his staff worked 16 "mind-numbing" hours each day including Saturdays over the past couple of weeks and never complained about it.

"They barely saw their kids and family," he said. "It was definitely the most challenging two-week stretch we have ever had, but the whole time, Jaden and his family was in our thoughts."

When Miller gave the check to the Shermans, they realized the "amount of the check showed the love for Jaden and how much he had impacted so many people in such a young life." Miller said there were "tears and hugs."

"When I got to their house, Janette was sitting at a huge table full of letters, cards, etc. She was going through taking the time to read each one and replying," he said. "Janette asked if she could have the names and addresses to every person that participated, so she could personally send a thank you note but unfortunately I told her we do not collect the names of people when we put them into our system."

In a text message to Miller, Janette expressed her gratitude for the entire community. She said:

"Words can't express how much we deeply appreciate your generosity and kind expression of sympathy on the passing of our beautiful son Jaden. The outpouring support you've shown is gratefully acknowledged and will never be forgotten."

Not only Plainfield, but people Naperville, Yorkville, Oswego, Aurora, Shorewood, and Joliet banded together for Jaden. Miller said they also provided their services to a house in Algonquin — almost 57 miles away from the village — that had used the special code.

"It was an amazing experience to see these communities come together," he said. "I am not intelligent nor crafty enough with words to express the appreciation and awe that I was in at how these communities came together for this family."

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