Community mourns the loss of West Dundee firefighter after courageous battle against cancer
WEST DUNDEE — On March 10, West Dundee firefighter and paramedic Daniel B. Kilian, 46, of Gilberts passed away peacefully after an arduous battle with colon cancer.
As previously reported, Kilian was diagnosed with cancer back in January 2023. His rapid decline in health and other complications relating to the disease eventually resulted in Kilian having to stop all treatment regimes in January of this year. On March 4, Kilian received the devastating news that the cancer was terminal.
According to his obituary, Kilian spent the remainder of his life at JourneyCare Hospice in Barrington, where he was surrounded by his family.
Kilian grew up in Schaumburg and was a 1995 graduate of Conant High School in Hoffman Estates. He completed two years of college at Central Missouri State University where he studied fire science. From there, he held different firefighter and paramedic roles at Ascension St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates and the Lincolnshire Fire Department.
In June 2005, Kilian began working for the West Dundee Fire Department. He was promoted to the role of lieutenant in 2022 and then was promoted to captain in October 2023.
Throughout his 18 years of service, Kilian held various roles within the fire department, including being a union president, serving as an EMS coordinator, being a member of the Foreign Fire Board, and serving as a pension board member. Kilian was also an active participant in the Kane County Fire Investigators Task Force.
A GoFundMe campaign that was launched to help Kilian’s wife, Kristin, and their 7-year-old son Noah, has now managed to raise over $50,000 of its initial $20,000 goal.
A memorial for Kilian will be held on March 15, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Dundee located at 900 S. Eighth Street (Route 31) in West Dundee. There will be an all-area “Fire Service Honor Walk-Through” scheduled for 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held on March 16 at 10:30 a.m.
