Illinois honors fallen Trooper Clay Carns, devoted father and public safety hero

ORLAND PARK, Ill. - The funeral for Illinois State Trooper Clay Carns took place Friday at Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park.

Trooper Carns is remembered for his dedication to public safety. He died making the roadway safe for others.

Troopers carried the flag-draped casket into the church, escorting their colleague to the funeral service.

Clay Matthew Carns was 35, a loving husband and devoted father of a 3-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.

He was hit by a pickup truck on I-55 near Channahon, when he was removing debris from the highway.

It happened two days before Christmas, on the anniversary of Scott’s Law, the law requiring drivers to slow down and move over for emergencies on the road.

Fellow law enforcement officers are feeling the loss deeply.

"We appreciate the support of the community, the state of Illinois and the outpouring of love and support for this trooper and his family. We are dealing with the loss of one of our fellow officers," Brendan Kelly, director of the Illinois State Police, said.

The family requested privacy for the funeral and burial but shared a statement thanking everyone for their support.

Now the public knows Trooper Carns was a hero. To his family, he always was.