Stefano Esposito
Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — Jon Farber and his family had just pulled out of their Roselle driveway, when Farber noticed a man lying motionless on the front steps of a house across the street.
It was only as Farber reached the man and dialed 911 on his cell phone that he noticed some wasps buzzing nearby and a can of wasp spray a few feet away.
Investigators are now considering the possibility that the neighbor, 62-year-old Bruce Madiar, died after being stung while dislodging a nest of bees or wasps from under his roof’s overhang.
An autopsy is planned for Wednesday.
Madiar was unconscious, but still breathing when Farber reached him about 5:30 p.m. Monday. Farber’s wife, Melissa, knocked on the Madiar family home, alerting his wife to what had happened.
“She was in shock, disbelief,” Jon Farber recalled. “She said, ‘Bruce, don’t leave me! Bruce, don’t leave me!’ ”
Arriving police and paramedics reported seeing some swelling around Madiar’s face, but they didn’t notice any prominent insect stings, according to a Roselle police report.
Madiar’s wife told investigators that she didn’t believe her husband was allergic to bees.
Neighbors remembered Madiar as a kind man who was proud of his family.
“He was just very friendly and neighborly,” said neighbor Mike Weflen. “He was a solid family man and a good person.”
The Madiar family issued a statement Tuesday that said: “The Madiar family mourns the passing of Bruce Madiar, a devoted husband, father of three and grandfather of five. We are grateful for the overwhelming support from family, friends and neighbors - a testament to Bruce’s extraordinary strength, character and generosity.”
Madiar had worked since 1993 as a master locksmith at the Cook County Jail, a family friend said.
His son, Eric Madiar, is chief legal counsel to state Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago).
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