St. Charles community members are invited to celebrate music, unity, and hope again this year at the 23rd annual Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Concert.
The concert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at Lincoln Park between Fourth and Fifth streets downtown.
This free annual event celebrates the life of Tyler Caruso, a St. Charles East High School student leader, musician, athlete, and community activist who died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on July 14, 2002, at the age of 17.
Caruso was devoted to the betterment of his community and was one of the original high school representatives on the Downtown St. Charles Partnership board.
Shortly after the St. Charles High School campus was split into East and North high schools in the early 2000s, Caruso had the idea to bring the community together for an evening of music and friendship.
After Caruso’s passing, the St. Charles Park District and representatives from both high schools came together to turn his idea into a reality, and have held the event annually for the past 22 years. A scholarship fund was also made in his name.
Since its inception, the Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Scholarship fund has awarded a total of 77 scholarships. At the concert, the 2025 recipients from both high schools will be introduced on stage.
“It is such an honor to help organize this event commemorating Tyler,” St. Charles East High School representative Brianna Menezes said in a press release. “Promoting a deep sense of harmony and connection was a core value of Tyler’s. In planning the 23rd anniversary concert, I hope to adhere to these values and positively impact the scholarship recipients and the greater St. Charles community!”
The concert is free to the public, but monetary contributions can be made to benefit the scholarship fund. Donations can be sent to St. Charles East High School at 1020 Dunham Road, and should indicate that the contribution is for the Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Scholarship Fund.
“Planning this concert the past three years to honor Tyler’s memory has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” St. Charles North High School representative Simran Mani said in the release. “Bringing the community together for this event is an amazing way to recognize the students receiving scholarships and this 23rd anniversary concert will be a great celebration of Tyler’s life and legacy.”
The Caruso family thanked the St. Charles Park District and RJ Recording & Sound in the release for making the concert a successful event year after year.
For more information, call (630) 513-6200 or visit www.tylerbrettcaruso.com.
